By: Saidu Jalloh
His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio joined over 5,000 “food heroes” including farmers, local authorities, government officials, and development partners to commemorate World Food Day under the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future.” The event provided a platform for stakeholders to engage, trade, and foster sustainable partnerships aimed at achieving national food self-sufficiency.
Speaking during the celebration, which also marked the second anniversary of the Feed Salone initiative in Kambia District, President Bio commended farmers, especially women, for their hard work and resilience in driving Sierra Leone’s agricultural transformation agenda.
He noted that hunger levels are on the decline, citing a recent World Food Programme (WFP) report indicating that Sierra Leoneans are increasingly consuming locally produced food. The President also encouraged young people to view agriculture as a sustainable business and assured them of greater opportunities under the Feed Salone initiative.
“Moni na bush en dae,” President Bio said, emphasizing that agriculture remains a viable path to prosperity for the youth.
The FAO Representative in Sierra Leone, Mr. AbuBakarr Saeed Banice, reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting the government in strengthening animal husbandry systems, enhancing productivity, and improving nutrition.
“We have the technology and capacity to transform lives through agriculture,” Mr. Banice stated. “Our focus is to strengthen rural households and communities by promoting sustainable food systems.”
The WFP Country Representative, Mr. Andrew Odero, underscored WFP’s continued support for the government’s Feed Salone vision through its home-grown school feeding program, which has created reliable markets for local rice farmers.
“Over 12,000 smallholder farmers are currently producing rice and other nutritious foods, supplying more than 2,000 metric tons of home-grown produce,” Mr. Odero said. “This initiative has injected about $2 million into the local economy and supports over 10,000 milling households nationwide.”
The IFAD Country Representative, Madam Pascaline Barankeba, pledged IFAD’s continued partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone. She disclosed that the organization is funding several flagship projects including the Agricultural Value Chain Project, the Rural Finance Community Improvement Project, and the newly launched Livestock and Livelihoods Project, as well as the Rural Farmers Radio initiative.
Also speaking, Madam Yatta Samai, President of the National Federation of Farmers, commended the government for prioritizing farmers’ welfare and empowering women in agriculture. She appealed for continued support to improve farmers’ access to finance, quality seeds, and modern technologies.
In his remarks, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, reiterated the government’s commitment to working closely with farmers, development partners, and the private sector to achieve the goals of the Feed Salone program.
“Feed Salone is not just a policy it’s a national movement for transformation,” Dr. Kpaka said. “We will continue to build a vibrant agrifood system that creates jobs, ensures food security, and promotes sustainable growth.”
Later in the event, President Bio officially launched the Feed Salone Year Two Report, the Livestock and Livelihoods Project, and the Rural Farmers Radio initiativekey initiatives aimed at strengthening agricultural productivity and advancing Sierra Leone’s path toward food self-sufficiency.
