On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio joined the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, development partners, and farmers from across the nation to mark the first anniversary of the Feed Salone Initiative during the World Food Day celebrations, themed โRight to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future.โ
The President urged Sierra Leoneans to take initiative by growing their own food, even in their backyards.
He emphasized that while large-scale farming plays a critical role in realizing the Feed Salone objectives, if every citizen takes part in cultivating their food, his vision of food self-sufficiency for the nation will soon be a reality. He asserted that no nation can thrive without its people engaging in an agricultural revolution and called on all Sierra Leoneans to fully support the Feed Salone program for the greater good of the country.
President Bio reflected on how his flagship program during his first term focused on education, leading to an increase in school attendance among girls. He took the opportunity to express gratitude to the First Lady, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, for her timely advocacy for the protection of girls in the country.
Encouraging all Sierra Leoneans to engage in agriculture regardless of their background, President Bio showcased his own endeavors, highlighting the cultivation of over 1,400 acres of rice and an additional 500 acres of oil palm on his farm.
He clarified that Feed Salone is about the welfare of Sierra Leoneans not about him as President or the Sierra Leone Peopleโs Party (SLPP), urging citizens to actively pursue farming.
Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy, and Food Security, expressed his gratitude to farmers for exhibiting their produce and demonstrating their efforts since the launch of the Feed Salone Initiative by President Bio.
He urged farmers to remain patient with the government as it works to improve the sector, assuring them that with their support and government commitment, the goals of Feed Salone are within reach.
Mr. Saeed Abubakar Bancie, the Food and Agricultural Organisation representative in Sierra Leone, thanked President Bio for his dedication to agriculture through the Feed Salone initiative, noting the global increase in hunger and the pressing need for food diversification.
He assured continued support from FAO for Feed Salone, including assistance for farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture in providing livestock, implementing innovative best practices, and empowering local communities.
Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, expressed appreciation to farmers nationwide for their steadfast support of President Bioโs Feed Salone initiative. He highlighted that October 16th is not just an ordinary World Food Day celebration, but the very day President Bio launched Feed Salone, urging farmers to leverage their resources to turn agriculture into the nationโs breadbasket.
Dr. Kpaka confirmed that farmers have embraced the Presidentโs call for widespread agricultural engagement across the country, citing several leading women farmers, including those in the diaspora.
He assured farmers and private sector stakeholders that their contributions matter, particularly in rice, onion, seed production, poultry, and egg production, which have conserved valuable foreign reserves.
The Minister promised that Feed Salone will continue until Sierra Leone can produce rice that is less expensive than imported varieties, improve connections for farmers to access markets through better road infrastructure, provide financial support to farmers, and create additional jobs in the sector.
He encouraged everyone to engage in farming at any scale, reiterating the imperative that together, we can grow what we eat and urging others to take an active role in the Feed Salone initiative.
We should not be celebrating feed Salone at the momoent.