By Claudia Redwood-Sawyerr
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, has praised Bombali District for its remarkable contribution to President Julius Maada Bio’s flagship Feed Salone initiative.
Speaking during the Civic Day Series held at the University of Makeni campus on Tuesday, 16th September 2025, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka underscored the importance of agricultural self-sufficiency to Sierra Leone’s independence.
“When President Bio declared Feed Salone, he wanted to ensure we are food self-sufficient. Without food self-sufficiency we are not independent as a people,” he emphasized.
The Minister highlighted Bombali District’s central role in advancing the initiative. “Makeni hosts the only premier rice milling facility in the country. Bombali has the only commercial hatchery in Sierra Leone and is the second-highest producer of eggs nationwide,” Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka stated.
According to him, the district has cultivated more than 5,000 hectares of rice in the past two years and currently produces at least 5,000 eggs daily, sold at prices lower than in other parts of the country. He attributed those successes to Government-backed policies that encourage both farmers and private sector players to invest in agriculture.
Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka revealed that the Government has introduced a flexible credit line of up to $10 million, accessible to farmers and agri-preneurs at very low interest rates. Farmers in Bombali, he noted, have seized the opportunity, producing enough to sell directly to the World Food Programme for the national school feeding programme.
While acknowledging challenges in the sector, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka assured farmers and entrepreneurs that the Government would continue to provide additional support to further boost production and strengthen Sierra Leone’s agricultural economy.
