By Abubakarr Harding
A new company known as the Golley Agriculture Development has undertaken the initial phase of its plan to develop agricultural production across the country, by paying lease fees for plots of land for the construction of training centres, a key component of its agric-education initiative.
The vision of the company comes in the wake of recent report by the World Food Programme (WFP) in which it said that Sierra Leone’s food insecurity has further deteriorated with over one million people (15%) facing severe hunger.
That statement was made in commemoration of World Food Day on Sunday, 16th October 2022. The international body said it urgently needs additional funding of US$2.6 million to provide emergency cash transfers to 46,000 people in Tonkolili, Port Loko and Pujehun districts where levels of food insecurity are highest.
Cross-section of community peoples
With the spate of global warming in the world, perennial farming is impossible. Thus there is a need for the advent of modern technologies to provide for sustainable farming in the country.
In order to address this, Golley Agriculture Development Company SL Limited has launched the construction of modern irrigation training sites in all four (4) provincial regions of the country. The centers are going to be based in Bumbuna Town (northern region), Port Loko City (northwest region), Bo City (southern region) and Kenema City (eastern region).
PC Alimamy Bockarie Yallan Koroma signing the lease
Therefore, during the weekend of 15th and 16th October 2022, the company embarked on the payment of leases for identified locations in the various communities. A total sum of 10,000 USD (New Leones 170,000) was paid to the landowners.
On behalf of the host chiefdoms, PC Alimamy Bockarie Yallan Koroma of Dansogoia Chiefdom in Bumbuna Town expressed delight over the selection of his community. He said over the years, Bumbuna has been known for its huge mining potential and mostly aggrieved persons who are not employed at the mines become disgruntled. He said the establishment of the demonstration center will change the narrative of his people since they will now see that there is more to livelihood in Agriculture than in Mining.
Speaking on behalf of the company, the Project Director, Abdul Malik Bangura said that the main idea of its CEO Ambassador Omrie Golley is to create a platform for sustainable farming practice in the rural communities of Sierra Leone. The project, he said, aims to identify 100 Acres lands from all 14 provincial districts of the country where people will engage in commercial and communal farming.
However, the Project Director said that for a start, the Agric-Education phase of the company will ensure that locals are trained by foreign experts on a pro-Bono basis. The training will entail modules on modern irrigation and a dripping system where locals would learn perennial farming.
On the side of the Government, Presidential Spokesman and Resident Minister of Northwest Region, Honourable Dr Alhaji Alpha Kanu said the project fits into the agenda of the Government by providing education on agriculture. He said he is delighted to embrace the project in his region and assured of his ultimate support for the sustainability of the project.
