​ABOUT SLARI

After a period of coordination of agricultural research under National Agricultural Research Coordinating Council (NARCC), the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) established the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) through the SLARI Act of Parliament of 2007.  SLARI is now the agricultural research and agricultural technology generating body for the benefit of the farming, fishing and forestry sectors and to provide for other related matters. When fully operational, SLARI will be expected to have the following seven research centres:
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SLARI’s Mandate and Core Functions ​
SLARI has a major role to play in addressing the many challenges facing the agriculture, fishery and forestry sub sectors in the country. As the national agricultural research institution, it is expected to conduct research to obtain knowledge, information and technologies needed for sustainable development of the country’s agricultural sector. The core functions of SLARI are defined in the SLARI Act of 2007. These provide SLARI and its research centres with a clear framework for delivering on its mandate. The core functions include:
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  • Provide information that will assist the Government and other stakeholders in the development of agricultural policies for poverty alleviation, food security and improved livelihoods of the citizens of Sierra Leone.
  • Formulate agricultural research policies and programmes taking into account the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the agricultural sector, in line with government policy, and views of stakeholders, especially those which relate to sustainable food security, and conservation of renewable resources of Sierra Leone.
  • Conduct food and cash crops production, livestock production and health, fish production, land and water management, forestry production and conservation, food and nutrition, technology and socioeconomics of post-harvest activities, emerging technologies in agricultural science biosafety and environmental conservation.
  • Establishment of strong working relationship with extension agents in the public and private sectors in the transfer of technology.
  • Maintain a register of research scientists, research projects and research results.
  • Facilitate and provide the relevant training and manpower development to serve
  • the agricultural needs of the country.
  • Produce annual reports highlighting management, scientific training and financial aspects of the Institute. 
  • Establish strong links with national, regional and international agricultural research institutions or agencies involved in science and technology development and transfer.
  • Representing the country in regional and international fora.
  • Enhance public awareness on importance of scientific research to agricultural and economic development.
  • Disseminate knowledge on improved technologies to stakeholders.
  • Monitor and evaluate adoption and impact of agricultural research on agricultural productivity.
  • Process and forward to government annual estimates for funding.
  • Mobilize human, financial and capital resources from donors, private sector and
  • from within the Institute for the benefit of SLARI. ​​

The Strategic Vision ​

The SLARI guiding Vision that requires the Institute and its stakeholders and partners to stretch their future expectations, aspirations and performance is to see “Improved and sustainable broad-based agricultural growth”. ​

The Mission Statement ​

The Mission statement that expresses the fundamental purpose and business of SLARI is “To enhance sustainable productivity, commercialization and competitiveness of the agricultural sector through generation and promotion of innovative agricultural technologies and empowerment of stakeholders”. ​

Guiding Core Values 

Decisions and actions in SLARI are consistently based on a set of clear principles outlined here as the institutional Guiding Core Values. The institutional Core Values guide actions at all levels when choices are not clear or when there is a gap between intention and reality. The Institutional Guiding Core Values that SLARI and its stakeholders and partners hold in common and endeavour to put into practice while performing their functional obligations include the following:
  • Scientific excellence, innovativeness and ethics: SLARI believes that the stakes in Agricultural Product Value Chain approach to research are extremely high in terms of the investments that are necessary for meaningful outcomes and is, therefore, committed to scientific excellence, innovativeness and adherent to ethics and standards so as to ensure that all research work and recommendations made to stakeholders emanate from sound evidence based on rigorous scientific findings of the highest quality possible.
  • Impact, performance and service orientation: SLARI will remain focused on integrated agricultural research for development by ensuring that all research activities undertaken or promoted are demand-driven. SLARI will achieve this through building and maintaining a culture that is based on outcome mapping of research for better impact orientation and effective knowledge and information management as well as quality service delivery as the hallmark of the non- research part of the institution so as to meet and exceed clients’ expectations.
  • Partnerships for collaborative advantage and synergies: SLARI will pursue productive and beneficial partnerships and strategic alliances with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, governance and supportive mechanisms so as to ensure effective collaboration and synergies that have a direct bearing on finding innovative solutions to major agricultural sector problems. In this regard, SLARI is committed to working with broad stakeholder categories and partners.
  • Respect for staff, clients and stakeholders and partners diversity: SLARI recognizes that staff and stakeholders are critical resource in achieving its Mission and is, therefore, committed to respecting staff and stakeholder diversity with emphasis on mutual respect for individuals and assurance on equitable recognition of their contribution. In this regard, SLARI is committed to ensuring effective integration and teamwork across levels, disciplines, gender, timeframes and space as well as timely and quick response to all staff and stakeholders’ concerns.
  • Integrity, transparency, accountability and cost-effectiveness: SLARI is committed to upholding virtues of integrity through honesty, fairness and professionalism in all its operations while remaining committed to the effective and efficient utilization of all resources entrusted to the Institute in the most transparent, accountable and cost-effective manner. ​