Dr. Isata Kamanda, an alumna of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, has been appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Her appointment, announced in a public notice issued by the Office of the President on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, marks another significant milestone for WACCI, as its alumni continue to make meaningful contributions to agricultural development across Africa.
Dr. Kamanda was a member of WACCI's PhD Cohort 7, enrolling in 2014 and graduating in 2018 with a PhD in Plant Breeding. Her doctoral research, Genetic Improvement of Root Yield and Nutritional Quality of Cassava in Sierra Leone, focused on developing improved cassava varieties with enhanced productivity and nutritional quality. The research contributed to efforts to improve food security by supporting the development of climate-resilient and biofortified cassava varieties suited to Sierra Leone's farming systems.
Prior to her appointment, Dr. Kamanda served as Deputy Director General for Commercialization and Agribusiness Development at the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI), where she provided leadership in promoting agricultural innovation, strengthening research commercialization, and advancing agribusiness development. She also held several leadership and technical roles including Research Scientist, Plant Breeder, Project Development and Management Officer, Coordinator of European Union-funded projects, Food Systems Resilience Project Focal Person, and Lead Scientist for Root and Tuber Crops.
Among her notable national contributions are her role in implementing the Government's flagship Feed Salone programme and leading the development of Sierra Leone's seven-year National Seed Roadmap to strengthen the country's seed system and improve access to quality seed.
WACCI congratulates Dr. Isata Kamanda on this well-deserved appointment and wishes her success as she takes on this important national responsibility.
