By Sallieu S. Kanu
KAMBIA, Sierra Leone — As part of preparations for the upcoming World Food Day commemoration, Minister of Agriculture Henry Musa Kpaka has embarked on a working tour of Kambia District to assess readiness and review progress on the government’s flagship Feed Salone initiative, now in its second year.
The two-day national celebration, scheduled for 30–31 October, will spotlight agricultural innovation, food security, and community resilience. Minister Kpaka was welcomed by a broad coalition of stakeholders, including representatives from the District Council, Paramount Chiefs, the Resident Minister, civil society organisations, farmer groups, and youth and women leaders.
During a stakeholder engagement session, participants reaffirmed their commitment to hosting a successful event. Discussions centred on coordination strategies, community mobilisation, and showcasing Kambia’s agricultural potential. The Minister also conducted an inspection of the proposed event grounds, evaluating access routes, exhibition areas, and logistics for crowd control, security, and media coverage. He instructed the local organising committee to finalise site layouts and conduct a stakeholder dry run ahead of the event.
A key highlight of the visit was the Minister’s tour of the food reserve at Kobia, established under the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP). The reserve currently holds over 10,000 bags of 50kg rice, sourced from local farmers through the Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Company (SLPMC). Minister Kpaka emphasised the reserve’s role in stabilising market prices and mitigating shocks within the food system.
Addressing infrastructure challenges, the Minister noted that poor road networks have diverted much of Kambia’s rice trade across the border into Guinea. However, he expressed optimism that ongoing road construction projects and the strategic placement of the food reserve would improve market access and enable organisations like WFP and SLPMC to purchase rice at competitive rates.
4In a nod to youth-led innovation, Minister Kpaka visited the research centre of Mohamed Samu, winner of President Bio’s AgTech Youth Award. Samu is developing locally produced organic fertiliser, which he plans to showcase during the World Food Day event. The Minister encouraged more young agripreneurs to pursue solutions that generate employment and address community challenges.
Community leaders pledged their continued support for the Feed Salone initiative. Minister Kpaka’s tour is set to continue in Koinadugu and Falaba districts on Saturday.