By: James Kamara-Manneh
The Executive Secretary for Sierra Leone Chamber of Agribusiness Development SLeCAD, Ahmed Nanoh has called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and international community requesting that they restructure and cancel Sierra Leone’s debt by freeing the debt space which will increase Government’s investment in the agriculture sector and to fund the Feed ‘Salone’ Flagship programme.
SLeCAD is an umbrella body of several organizations, with the main role to champion the cause of food security, Mr. Nanoh on sharing his thoughts on the feed Salone project said they are wholeheartedly in support of the government`s flagship project as it share similar objective with the chamber.
He further called on all development partners to generously fund the feed Salone programmed to improving food security, reduce poverty, and create jobs and wealth and to ensure inclusive growth.
Speaking at the Secretariat yesterday in Freetown, Nanoh narrated the brief history of SLeCAD as a limited organization that was established since 2007 to promote agricultural development in Sierra Leone, however, the chamber of commerce has not been able to step up in the area of local commodities in the country that has caused more importation of basic goods.
Nanoh said SLeCAD main role has been to industrialize the agricultural sector of Sierra Leone so that she will become the most powerful country in West-Africa and the world as a whole and the initiative will be underscored by the African Union to enhance way back comprehensive agricultural programme and mainly emphasize the establishment of private sectors in order to support the production sector of every country.
He highlighted that the agricultural sector is one of the largest sectors in the world and up till date there is no country that has been established without having agriculture as their flagship programme, a critical example is the People’s Republic of China.
Furthermore, the Executive Secretary expressed delight in discussing about the critical path to successful agricultural project after over ten years of advocating.
He adds that the government of President Bio has now listened to their cries by making agriculture as their flagship programme, which is something that has never happened in the history of the country, SLeCAD as an organization will strive to not let the feed salone project go in vain without implementing strategies and involving in discussions that will ensure the success of this vision from the President.
Additionally, he intimated that the main reason for supporting the feed salone program is mainly that government will make agriculture the topmost priority, to improve exportation in the country as the H.E Bio is a farmer and owner of a tropical farm, to advocate for the move of the national budget of agriculture from 2.6 percent to 10 percent fulfilling the MAPUTO program, to encourage private sector investment, promote inclusive collaboration and partnership which includes MDA’S and donor partners, finally to help government impose tax on rice and use the funds to support agriculture.
SLeCAD calls on government commitment to do partnership and collaboration with private sector umbrella organization like SLeCAD, NAFFSL, Chamber of Commerce, SMEDA and Local Content Agency.
Nanoh urged the Ministry of Agriculture to promote investment policies, conduct feasibility studies, utilize access to finance assessment funded by the EU/ILO to improve access to finance for private sectors and farmers, improve on the hard and soft skills development including mind-set changed needed to support private sector investment and to also encourage mining companies to support funding governments effort for the success of the feed’ salone’ project.
He concluded by calling on citizens of Sierra Leone to work together in respective of political affiliation in order to make the country a better place, by inviting on all sides of present and past government and all citizens to encourage peace and focus on the development of the agenda of Sierra Leone through the feed salone initiative.
“..Without peace, development will be futile and all will continue to dive in poverty, lack of jobs and stunt inclusive growth,” he said.