Njala University marked a significant milestone on Tuesday, 2nd July 2025, by graduating 174 young people, 47 of them women, who successfully completed intensive training in tractor mechanization under the second cohort of the ENABLE Youth-SLARiS programme.
Held at the university’s auditorium on its Njala Campus, the graduation ceremony drew key stakeholders, including the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka and the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Njala University, Alhaji Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma.
As part of the day’s highlights, Njala University, in partnership with SLARiS and the Ministry of Agriculture, awarded grants totaling over two million New Leones to 30 agribusiness groups, 12 of which are led by women underscoring the Government’s commitment to gender inclusion in agriculture.
Describing the event as both a “milestone” and “catalytic” moment in Sierra Leone’s agricultural transformation, Minister Kpaka lauded Njala University for playing a leading role in the government’s Feed Salone initiative.
“These 174 graduates, coming from seven districts, are not merely tractor drivers. They have been equipped to diagnose, repair and maintain modern agricultural machinery and more importantly to launch agribusiness ventures that will help feed the nation,” Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka said.
He emphasized that youth empowerment, mechanization and entrepreneurship remain at the heart of President Julius Maada Bio’s vision for food self-sufficiency, stressing that “Government cannot provide office jobs for everyone but it can equip young people to become creators of employment.” He further commended development partners, particularly the African Development Bank, describing the ENABLE Youth project as a prime example of “small money, big effect.”
Vice-Chancellor and Principal Alhaji Professor Koroma also delivered a passionate call to action, urging the graduates to view their qualifications as tools for transformation not as mere paper achievements.
“We should stop calling it agriculture; let’s call it a farming enterprise,” he said, advocating for a radical shift in perception and approach. He called for stronger collaboration between the university and the Ministry of Agriculture to rebrand agriculture as a business-driven, innovation-led sector capable of changing lives and livelihoods.
The event served as a powerful reminder of the potential of youth-led agricultural transformation in Sierra Leone. As the nation battles food insecurity and unemployment, the graduation of these 174 young agripreneurs signals a bold step toward a future where agriculture is not just a livelihood but a dynamic engine for national growth.
