Though it is a business conglomerate providing services in ICT, sales of stationeries and others, Sierratec Secure Company holds a firm grip in farming in the North and North West of Sierra Leone.
It’s producing major tubers and grains like cassava, rice and corn on a large scale.
However, rice – the country’s main staple food has a major percentage in terms of production.
It is harvest season of this crop and Sierratec Secure is currently harvesting 500 hectares at Rogborong in Bombali district- one of the communities hosting the company’s farm project.
Chief Executive Officer of Sierratec Secure Company Salleu Kanu is a Cyber Security Expert. But he is inspired into farming due to the utmost need in addressing food security in the country.
He went on to say that, access to food is a human right issue, therefore, he added, every Sierra Leonean who has the wherewithal should contribute meaningfully to tackle the perennial problem of hunger and malnutrition that have affected women and children acutely.
According to the CEO, his company has been playing a major role in supporting farmers especially in operational communities. Inter alia, Sierratec is supplying seeds to hundreds of out growers and also providing services like ploughing as a form of corporate social responsibility.
He emphasised the importance of Public Private Partnership in actualizing government’s ambitious agenda of “Feed Salone”. To achieve the goals of this national project, Sierratec Secure CEO called on government and development partners to address major challenges around farm machineries, farm inputs, access to loan and grant facilities, value addition, transportation and sales of farm produce.
“I’m currently cultivating rice on a 500 hectares of farmland in Bombali and Port Loko districts; and I would increase production to 2,000 hectares in the next planting season”. Salleu Kanu is quoted to have said.
As many farmers are finding it challenging to access certain farm machines like tractors, combine harvesters and others, Sierratec Secure Company would be providing rental services to farmers so that the attainment of a food secure country could be a concerted effort by every farmer across the board.
Agriculture experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security were present during the symbolic harvesting exercise at Bombali Sebora chiefdom; and among them is Deputy Acting Chief Agriculture Officer- Aiah Joseph Tholley.
Addressing Sierratec Secure Company, Mr. Tholley was elated on the work of a single Sierra Leonean who opts to complement government’s drive of a food sufficient country through mechanize farming on a very large scale.
He drew reference from the “Feed Salone Agenda” which according to government, it aims to boost production, reduce hunger and malnutrition and above all export surplus. The Acting Deputy Chief Agriculture Officer therefore stressed on private sector investment in agriculture in other to meet these benchmarks set by government.
He pronounced government unwavering commitment to support farmers so that the path towards Feed Salone would be trekked on by every well-meaning farmer across the country.
Bombali District Agriculture Office promised to provide technical support to farmers so that fight against hunger in Sierra Leone would be won together.
