By Amin Kef (Ranger)
In a remarkable visit to Pee Cee Agriculture Ltd at Mathen Village, Lokomasama, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio expressed his support and admiration for the agricultural advancements being made by the company. The event, held on Saturday, April 13, 2024, was graced by the presence of the Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Musa Kpaka and other esteemed dignitaries.
Pee Cee Agriculture Limited, under the visionary leadership of CEO Mahesh Nandwani, has been at the forefront of the national initiative to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. Despite Nandwani’s humility, his efforts to bolster food security in Sierra Leone, as well as in neighboring countries like Senegal and Ivory Coast, have not gone unnoticed.
Hon. Musa Kpaka, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, offered high praise to the local community and chiefs for their role in expanding the farm from 10 to 20 hectares during a critical period of onion shortage. He said the expansion is a direct reflection of the Government’s commitment to the ‘Feed Salone’ project, championed by Pee Cee Holdings.
On his part, President Julius Maada Bio highlighted the collaborative efforts between the Government, Pee Cee Holdings and local leaders in fostering a robust agricultural sector. He acknowledged the Paramount Chiefs’ support and challenged other regional leaders to emulate the successful Lokomasama project.
President Bio encouraged all Sierra Leoneans to engage in farming, citing the global economic challenges and the need for food security. He proudly endorsed Pee Cee and sons for their significant contributions to the nation’s agriculture.
The President cautioned residents to refrain from thievery emphasizing that the amount of money that has been invested is indeed huge calling on all to safeguard the agricultural farm.
He said he challenged Pee Cee and Sons years back to embark on production stressing that actualizing their efforts into meaningful production is a true testament of hard work maintaining that the amount of monies spent on importation could be drastically reduced if only Sierra Leoneans embark on effective production. He said no foreigner could feed us unless we do it ourselves.
The President called on other entities to emulate the good work of the Pee Cee and Sons saying its investment alone has saved up to 30 million dollars that should have been invested in the importation of onion also stressing how the company’s agricultural activities have also provided employment for residents of Port Loko District. He stated that other Paramount Chiefs should also engage in productive activities as demonstrated by their counterpart of Port Loko district.
Chief Executive Officer of Pee Cee and Sons, Mahesh Nandwani, delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks. He inspired attendees with a call to action, echoing the President’s message on the importance of farming. Nandwani also reminisced about Sierra Leone’s rich agricultural past in the 1970s, urging the population to return to those prosperous times.
The visit concluded with a tour of the Pee Cee Agriculture Farm and a symbolic harvesting ceremony, marking a day of celebration for the strides made in feeding the nation and a brighter future for Sierra Leone’s self-sustainability.
It also served as an opportunity to witness the success of Pee Cee’s initiative to plant onions, which is set to diversify the market with a variety of agricultural products, including oil and soap, within the next two years. President Bio ceremoniously opened the onion harvest and reaffirmed his support for Pee Cee’s upcoming ventures in rice farming.
Up to 900 smallholder farmers were supported by Pee Cee and Sons Ltd by providing them with inputs, mechanized plowing services and training in sound agronomic practices for onion cultivation.
