Jacqueline Marthe Sultan is a Guinean politician known for her commitment to agricultural development and the fight against food insecurity in Guinea. She has held several government positions, notably serving as Minister of Agriculture under the administrations of Saïd Fofana and Mamady Youla. Her tenure was marked by reforms aimed at improving food security and enhancing the resilience of agriculture in the face of climate challenges.
Before becoming Minister, Jacqueline Marthe Sultan held various positions in the agricultural and rural development sectors. She was actively involved in initiatives to strengthen institutional capacities and improve governance in the agricultural sector. Her efforts were consistently focused on modernizing Guinean agriculture and improving farmers' living conditions.
Jacqueline Marthe Sultan was appointed Minister of Agriculture in January 2014 under the second Saïd Fofana government. Her mandate was characterized by the implementation of several reforms to boost agricultural productivity and strengthen resilience to climate change.
In 2015, she was reappointed to the position under the Mamady Youla government. During her tenure, she advocated for an increase in the budget allocated to agriculture, expressing concern that the commitments made in Abuja regarding agricultural investments were not being honored.
In November 2016, during COP22 in Marrakech, she participated in a panel on "Climate-Smart Agriculture in Action." She highlighted the challenges posed by climate change to Guinean and African agriculture and called for greater support from international partners.
In May 2017, she represented Guinea at the first meeting of Turkish and African Ministers of Agriculture, where she signed a memorandum of understanding with her Turkish counterpart, Faruk Celik. This cooperation aimed to strengthen exchanges and the development of the agricultural sector in Guinea.
During her tenure, the Agricultural Sector Support Project in Guinea (PASAG) was launched with support from the World Bank. This project aimed to strengthen institutional capacities in the rural sector and ensure better implementation of the National Agricultural Investment and Food Security Plan.
She also placed special emphasis on rice cultivation, a staple food in Guinea, with the goal of positioning the country as a future exporter. Additionally, she promoted the diversification of food crops and the development of cash crop industries such as cashew nuts.
In September 2017, she was dismissed by President Alpha Condé. Her position was then attached to the Presidency of the Republic, and Naby Yousouf Kiridi Bangoura was appointed as interim Minister of Agriculture. Her departure occurred while she was on a tour in the administrative region of Labé.
Jacqueline Marthe Sultan left a significant mark on Guinea’s political history as Minister of Agriculture. Her efforts helped lay the foundations for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector. Despite her departure from the government in 2017, her impact on the agricultural sector remains notable, particularly through the reforms and projects she initiated.
