By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
With Funds from the European Union, Oxfam Sierra Leone in Partnership with Child Fund and Movement Towards Peace and Development Agency (MOPADA) Sierra Leone has conducted a day grants launch for selected Women, Youth and farmer Based Organizations in Bo to enhance value addition on cassava and ginger.
The launch which took place at the Ministry of Agriculture in Bo last week brought together representatives from Ministry, Department and Agencies (MDA), and Chiefdom authorities including Local Councils.
Alpha Umaru Sesay, who is the Legacy Program Manager of Oxfam said that the project is expected to be completed in two years, as Oxfam has scaled down operations in twenty-eight countries in the world including Sierra Leone.
“We are here to launch grants for agro-business for eight beneficiary groups that are working in Bo District. This is a group of farmers, with FBOs, women and youth farmers. The women and farmer groups are producing groups. The grant will scale up their farming from production to value addition in cassava and ginger,” Mr. Sesay said.
It aimed at strengthening the support and empowerment of women and youth groups to start crop-based enterprises in their respective chiefdoms. The Consortium, which primarily focuses is to ensure the implementation of the boosting of agriculture and food security project, is supporting 56 women and youths across seven districts including Port Loko, Bombali, Koinadugu, Kono, Moyamba, Bo and Kailahun to start crop enterprise, with a total of one thousand, one hundred and twenty women and youth beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries have received financial support as start-up capital under the Project Enterprise Development Grants. The project will also enhance their capacity to improve bargaining power and access the market through collective buying.