Mr. Mansaray said the farm is feeding lots of households in surrounding villages. “My only concern is post-harvest processing and marketing of cashew,” he said. The Minister of Agriculture, Prof. Monty Jones assured that very soon investors will be in the country to purchase the product on a large-scale.
Also, the Minister visited a 125acres farm owned and managed by the Ernest Bai Koroma Agriculture Development Association at Gboran, Makarie Gbantie Chiefdom, Bombali District. This farmer Based Organization has a membership of 1,415 farmers. The organization has cultivated rice, cassava, maize, okra, garden eggs, groundnut etc. The organization also has 15acres farm at Makai Village and another 15acres at Mafonike Village.
The Minister commended the organization for doing a very good job. He advised that they work in line with the Presidential Priorities on Agriculture. He promised to provide the required support to boost their production so as to enable them contribute to flooding the market with local produce.
The Minister and team made their final stop at Sanda Tandaren Chiefdom where they were welcomed by the Paramount Chief, the Member of Parliament Honorable Sulaiman Sesay, Section Chiefs, Farmers and other Stakeholders. The farmers took the team to their rice fields to show their commitment in agriculture.
Earlier, Professor Jones visited a 50acre fertile farm land at Mayawlaw Village in the Pakimasabong Chiefdom in the Bombali District where the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Chernor Maju Rahman Bah is planning to undertake some massive investment in the agriculture sector as his own contribution to help the country attain self-sufficiency. The land, which has a running river for irrigational purpose, was visited by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Professor Monty Patrick Jones with his entourage on Monday 15th August 2016. The purpose of the visit was to provide professional advice on the type of crops that should be cultivated.
Professor Monty Jones advised that the Deputy Minister starts with cashew tree crop, which his Ministry is willing to support. The Minister said the land befits banana and plantain cultivation with a good irrigation system on the river end.