By: Audrey Raymonda John
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), in partnership with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), has hosted the second edition of the Sierra Leone World Food Prize Youth Institute 2026.
The event, held on September 29, 2026, at Country Lodge Hotel in Freetown, brought together 16 pupils from schools across Sierra Leone to present innovative ideas and practical solutions for transforming food systems and advancing agriculture.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, commended the pupils for their creativity and innovative ideas.
He highlighted the achievements of Borlaug Scholars Nancy Koyema and Joseph Moripeh, who represented Sierra Leone at the World Food Prize Foundation’s Dialogue NEXT and the Kenya Youth Institute in Nairobi in June 2026.
“Take full advantage of the opportunities provided through the Youth Institute
and develop innovative solutions to challenges facing agriculture and food systems,” Minister Kpaka urged.
He said the initiative aligns with President Julius Maada Bio’s vision of empowering young people to contribute to food systems transformation and advancing the objectives of the Feed Salone programme.
Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Hon. Conrad Sackey, said the pupils’ ideas demonstrate the impact of investment in education.
He encouraged young people to develop practical solutions to challenges related to climate change, agriculture and food security.
The Vice Chancellor of Njala University, Prof. Bashiru Koroma, said the Youth Institute provides a platform for young people to move beyond identifying food security challenges to selecting specific problems, gathering evidence and making a case for change.
Meanwhile, Jon Wogman of the World Food Prize Foundation commended Sierra Leone’s efforts to advance the vision of the Youth Institute. He also highlighted progress under Feed Salone in strengthening agricultural infrastructure, markets and food systems.
Following presentations and assessment by a panel of judges, Komeh David Issa of Murialdo Secondary School in Lunsar and Aminata F.K. Kabba of Services Secondary School in Freetown emerged as the finalists.
The programme was moderated by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security I, Dr. Isata Kamanda, while Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security II, Ing. Bryan Smart-Kanu, presented certificates to participating pupils.
Minister Kpaka presented certificates to the two finalists.
The event, funded by the World Bank-supported Food System Resilience Program, underscored the importance of investing in young people and creating platforms for them to contribute ideas and solutions to Sierra Leone’s agricultural transformation and food security agenda.