Sierra Leone loves rice and wants to free itself from imports. But how to do it?

Associated Press

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Rice borders on the sacred in Sierra Leone, which has one of the world’s highest consumption rates. But as prices soar, consumers are giving up on other food to buy it. The U.N. says that’s why most of the country’s population is suffering from food insecurity. Experts blame the soaring prices on a heavy reliance on imports. It’s a problem throughout West Africa, which has an ancient rice-growing tradition. Now Sierra Leone’s government says it has an ambitious plan and millions of dollars in backing to pursue rice self-sufficiency. But skeptics including local farmers say they’ve heard this song before.