Yusufu Abdul Silla, Managing Director of Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, was among the government’s dignitaries, international partners, and thousands of farmers who gathered from across the country to commemorate this year’s World Food Day held at the Pujehun Town main field, Pujehun District, on Monday, October 16, 2023.
His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, as part of the commemoration, launched the ‘Feed Salone Programme,” an initiative among his ‘Big Five Development Agenda, during the campaign for his second term bid. In his keynote statement, Dr Bio gave his assurance of having a nation that is sufficiently fed and exports abroad before he leaves office.
Other speakers include the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Henry Kpaka, the Country Representative of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Saeed Abubaker Fancie, and the World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director, Eva Bonsion.
World Food Day is an annual event held on October 16 to celebrate the founding of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in 1945, to raise awareness on issues concerning food, poverty, and hunger, and also towards inspiring global efforts to provide sufficient food for the world’s population. The 2023 theme is ‘Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave no one behind.’ It is important to create awareness of the importance of water related to food production and the existence of humanity.
Sierra Leone Commercial Bank is a 100% indigenous bank owned by the people of Sierra Leone, and its presence is a manifestation of the support it gives the government and its people by way of providing agricultural finance to farmers and agricultural-related support institutions.