By Tamba Tengbeh
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has started a two-day joint planning meeting aimed at facilitating effective implementation of the Feed Salone strategy. The commencement of the meeting, held at the Diwazzard Complex in Bo City on Friday 16th February, 2024 saw the participation of councils, district agriculture officers, agricultural agencies, farmers and projects.
The primary focus of the meeting was geared towards deliberating on strategic approaches for the successful execution of the Feed Salone Initiative, officially launched by President Julius Maada Bio on October 16th , 2023 during the World Food Day celebration in Pujehun District.
During his opening remarks, Andrew Sorie, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, underscored the significance of the meeting, urging key stakeholders in the agriculture sector to harness the strategy’s potential to make a tangible impact on the country’s economy.
The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr.Tenneh Dicks, delivering her keynote address, highlighted the ‘Feed Salone Strategy’ as one of the Government’s ‘Big Five’. She outlined the strategy’s implementation through six pillars: mechanization and irrigation, input supplies, aggregation, processing and marketing, access to finance, empowering of women and youth, and Agricultural Technology (AgTech) and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) .
The purpose of the joint planning meeting, as stated by Minister Dicks, is to align key deliverables with the Feed Salone Strategy and engage local councils and MAFS district teams to take ownership of the vital activities within their districts.
Emphasizing the need for collaboration, the Deputy Minister stressed that all agricultural stakeholders must coordinate efforts and work closely with district agricultural officers to actualize the strategy’s objectives.
Chief Agriculture Officer: Prof. Abdulai Y. Jalloh highlighted the collective efforts required for the successful implementation of the Feed Salone Strategy, aiming to reshape the agricultural sector by enhancing production, supporting local economies, and addressing sector-specific challenges.
During the presentation of the Regional Rice Value Chain Project, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Brima Bangura, emphasized the focus key deliverables. He said the project aims to cultivate 1000 ha of farmland in Torma Bum and 500 ha in Mambolo and Samu Chiefdoms within the Kambia district. Additionally, it plans to provide services to 2000 farmers in collaboration with agribusiness companies.
Moreover, the project intends to install four integrated mill machines, including two in Torma Bum and one each in Mambolo and Samu, respectively.
He noted that the project would construct 2000 ha of irrigation in Torma bum to boost rice production and productivity and to support the Government’s efforts to substantially increase the production and productivity of rice using the private sector value chain-led approach. Additionally, training of trainers would be provided for women and youth, as well as for strengthening group formation.
Presentations were made by various agricultural projects on key deliverables for each district and aligned with the Feed Salone Strategy.
