They are: Job Seekers Youth Farmers Association from Mapor Village in the Port Look District, which received Le25million; Sabenty Women’s Agricultural Organization from Kamalo in the Bombali District, received Le25million; Kayimbor Women’s Development Association from Kayimbor Village in the Bombali District received Le25million; Bombali Women’s Farmers Association at Masorie Village in the Bombali District received Le25million; Le50million went to the Kankana Agriculture Development Association from Kamakay Village in the Bombali District; and Ernest Bai Koroma Agriculture Development Association from Mabonftha Village in the Bombali District received Le25million.
Addressing the various Farmer’s Associations before presenting cheques to them, the Minister expressed his happiness on the commitment of farmers to promote agriculture production in the country. He commended all the Districts in the north for their relentless efforts in making sure that government’s vision on the agriculture sector is coming to a reality. “We must discourage rice importation by producing enough food stuffs like rice, cassava and vegetables for the table and market,” Professor Jones said, and committed farmers to make money for themselves and the nation. “We need to promote agriculture so that Sierra Leone will revert back to its glorious days before the Ebola struck when it used to be one of the fastest growing economies in the world,” says the Agriculture Minister, and added that he is for farmers across the board. The monies presented to farmers, he said serves as a test case. “If the monies are utilized well, more support will come. We must begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You must be setting your own targets and work towards prosperity,” the Minister said. He advised farmers to cultivate leguminous crops like groundnut and soya bean during their off-season for vegetable oil production.
The Deputy Agriculture Minister One, Hon. Marie Jalloh was thankful to God for enabling her brings together women farmers to cultivate their fertile soil. “I am happy to have a Minister that willing to support women farmers across the country. If we don’t support women and youths there is no future for agriculture in the country,” she said, and noted that the Ministry is supporting farmers with cash because governments want them to double their yield to enhance commercial agriculture. “You must be willing to expand and do second cropping after the planting season. We to see you producing enough for the country and for export,” the Deputy Minister said. She promised to carry out effective monitoring to ensure that farmers in the various districts are utilizing their resources well, because, as she puts it “we want every district to have a demonstration farm”.
The farmers thanked the Ministry for its support and pledged their commitment towards the Presidential Recovery Vision on Agriculture.
