The Minister of Agriculture & Food Security has marked the end of this year’s World Food Day celebrations held in the Eastern District of Kailahun by donating one combined rice harvester to Med-Tulai Agribusiness and another to Pujehun based Tivamiah agribusiness and other farm machineries to deserving players in the Feed Salone programme.
Announcing the close of the 2024 WFD celebrations, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka said the Ministry decided to present the combined harvester to Med-Tulai Agribusiness as a way of acknowledging and complimenting the important role played by them and certain actors in the Feed Salone agenda of President Bio and more importantly to support the harvest of their huge rice farm in Makeni and their numerous out-growers.
The minister also allocated a power tiller machine to 13 districts each across the country and two rice milling machines to the Kailahun and Bonthe districts, as a way of supporting the value chain addition in those districts.
Receiving the combined rice harvester on behalf of the business, the CEO of Med-Tulai, Kadija Bangura expressed profound appreciation for the gesture and recognition. She said her organization resolved to support the country’s food self-sufficiency drive.
Madam Bangura described the gesture of the donation of the combined harvester as timely, especially at a time when her organization is entering into huge harvesting activities.
Madam Bangura promised to provide harvesting support to farmers within and without her operational areas.
Commenting on the impact of the donation on the agribusiness, Mrs Bangura noted that it could reduce the anticipated post-harvest loss, and save the tens of thousands of Leones they have been spending on hiring.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security has on 17th October 2024 recorded another first in the country’s history of celebrating World Food Day by purchasing Le 600 million worth of homegrown produce taken to the celebration and exhibited by smallholder farmers.
Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka described the event as the first WFD celebration in recent history where the ministry had taken the bold step to buy all produce from farmers and donate same to the host community. Dr. Kpaka said the approach was a novelty that will be rolled over to future host districts, to encourage farmers to take along more of their produce in future host districts.
The purchased items included local milled rice, palm oil, groundnut, hair and numerous vegetables and fruits, will benefit the chiefs, police, military, and religious leaders, among others.
