The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) engaged Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the agricultural sector on the implementation of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) during a meeting held on Thursday, 26th September 2024, at the Ministry’s conference hall, First Floor, Youyi Building, Freetown.

Addressing the partners, Yayah Mansaray, the Director of Agricultural Extension and NGO Desk Officer, emphasized the significance of the SLA. He described it as a formal document issued by MAFS to NGOs operating in the agricultural sector to safeguard their rights and strengthen the partnership between the Ministry and the organizations.

Mr. Mansaray acknowledged the vital role SLAs have played in other ministries and explained that MAFS introduced the SLA year ago. He reminded the NGOs that the funds they receive are on behalf of the people of Sierra Leone, and as such, they are accountable to the government, donors, and beneficiaries.

He highlighted that the SLA facilitates collaboration bet
ween the Ministry and its partners by requiring NGOs to submit their proposals, budgets, and logical frameworks for review. For organizations engaging with the SLA, the project proposal template must be filled out, uploaded, and forwarded to the sector Ministry.

Mr. Mansaray further explained that the SLA document is signed by the political leadership of the Ministry, the Country Director of the NGO, and the Minister of MoPED, who serves as the overall custodian of development activities. Once the agreement is signed, all parties are expected to adhere to it and ensure successful project delivery.

He concluded by noting that the SLA has become an essential requirement for securing donor funding. “It has gained prominence, and without an SLA, attracting donor funding is challenging, as it is a key requirement for collaboration with the sector Ministry. ”

Source: Sierra Leone News Agency