Hon. Minister, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, who is the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) of the Republic of Sierra Leone has participated in the Second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Agriculture held in Sanya, Hainan Province South of China.
The forum is aimed at deepening agricultural exchanges and cooperation between China and African Countries. It provides a platform for stakeholders to discuss the challenges, share experiences, and explore innovative solutions to boost agricultural development.
Speaking on behalf of the Government and the people of Sierra Leone, the Agriculture Minister clearly outlined Sierra Leone’s National priorities for achieving food security and increasing productivity as well as promoting agro-processing.
Minister Kpaka reiterated President Julius Maada Bio’s commitment to addressing food security challenges in Sierra Leone and the promotion of sustainable agricultural development in the Country.
In a separate engagement in Luoyang City in China, the Minister of Agriculture further held discussions with the YTO Group which specializes in the manufacturing of tractors as a way of exploring opportunities for mechanized farming in Sierra Leone. The aim is to achieve the flagship program of the President (FeedSalone), enhance agricultural productivity, and ensure sufficient food supply for the Sierra Leonean populace.
Minister Kpaka expressed the Government’s commitment to transforming the sector through mechanization thereby embracing modern farming practices as well as the utilization of appropriate machinery systems.
With this, Sierra Leone hopes to increase agricultural output and improve food security, the Minister affirmed.
During the meeting, representatives of YTO Group showcased various types of tractors and other agricultural machinery that could be suitable for Sierra Leone’s terrain and farming needs.
The Minister expressed optimism about the potential of these machines to revolutionize the country’s agricultural sector. The Minister asserted that with mechanized farming, President Bio will do everything lawful to achieve food security for the people of Sierra Leone.
The Minister also emphasized the importance of forming partnerships with international Companies like YTO Group and others to support Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector. These collaborations, the Minister went on, can facilitate knowledge transfer and technological advancements in enabling the country to adopt best farming practices.
Making his brief remarks Deputy Ambassador/Charge d’affaires Saffa-woya Rogers outlined the mutual opportunities for the people and government of Sierra Leone and YTO. He ended by requesting YTO Group to pay a visit to Sierra Leone in a bid to do proper research that will help guide them to manufacture tractors that can work on the soil of Sierra Leone.
The meeting climaxed with a conducted tour of the YTO Group factory where the Minister witnessed and drove first-hand experience on how tractors are manufactured.
