Although he did not disclose the intended price, Jones said the current price of rice in the market was unacceptably high for the average Sierra Leonean.

The Chinese Government gesture comes at a time identified as hunger period in Sierra Leone, when food is usually hard to come by for most rural dwellers.

This is often a hindrance to agricultural productivity.

According to Jones, the Chinese donation is in response to his ministry’s request for help during the hard period that last between June and August when farming activities are at their pick, but the food stores are usually empty.

There are concerns on how the government intends to distribute the rice.