President Koroma opens Consultative Dialogue on the Path to Prosperity

President Ernest Bai Koroma has said that education plays a key role in creating mindsets and skills for innovative application of science and technology to the sustainable transformation of agriculture, fisheries and industry. He made this statement during the opening ceremony of a consultative dialogue on setting the vision for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation in promoting Agriculture, Fisheries and Industrial Development in Sierra Leone at the Bintumani Hotel, Aberdeen Village.

“But our educational sectors have for far too long produced graduates who love desks more than they love tools, graduates who value desk work over field work, graduates who pay greater attention to seeking employment than to creating employment themselves; graduates who undervalue farm work and factory work, graduates who value consumption over production and value addition”, urged President Koroma.

He went on to note that although education is important, relevant education is better as it is that which creates synergies of skills and accomplishments along our chains of production, value addition, and markets. The president called for systems that put researchers, teachers, extension workers, farmers and entrepreneurs in a loop of excellent coordination, high productivity, and wealth creation. President Koroma therefore challenged the gathering to come up with innovative and specific actions for the new educated African, an educated person confident enough to innovate, skilled enough to add value unto what they do, organized enough to create systems, and focused enough to stay the course and achieve the goals we have set for ourselves.

Please follow link to read full speech: http://www.statehouse.gov.sl/index.php/component/content/article/34-news-articles/763-address-by-his-excellency-the-president-dr-ernest-bai-koroma-conference-on-setting-the-vision-for-environment-science-technology-and-innovation-in-promoting-agriculture-fisheries-and-industrial-development-in-sierra-leone-bintumani-hotel-11-november–

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Dr Joseph Sam Sesay said the consultative dialogue will create an opportunity for everyone, including development partners to come up with an integrated approach to value addition in the agricultural food chain.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Alhaji Osman Boie Kamara said the conference is synonymous to the industrial revolution in Europe in the 18th century. A key objective of this dialogue, he opined, is to add value to our fisheries and agricultural products as we are always as Africans at the losing end of trade agreements with developd countries.

“I cannot over emphasize that a thriving Private Sector is the engine of growth and catalyst for the fulfillment of our laudable vision as a country. As the Minister of Trade and Industry, I am encouraged and motivated by the great strides through the fine leadership of H.E. Ernest Bai Koroma is making to facilitate Sierra Leone’s economic development. It is now left with us to continuously re-define our roles in the entire process and deviate from thinking small and doing business as usual.” “Unfortunately”, he went on, “African countries (Sierra Leone not being an exception) are usually at the losing end of trade agreements because trade is usually skewed in favour of developed countries. African countries like Sierra Leone are mere sellers of low priced raw materials and then, we largely become buyers of these high priced manufactured or processed goods a key objective in this dialogue is to map out strategies for adding value to primary products of fisheries and agriculture, despite economic reforms, rapid growth in small and medium-sized enterprises, and a wealth of natural and human resources, we have not been able to take advantage of the new global marketplace”.

In his welcome statement, Professor Monty Jones said that agriculture is instrumental in food production, employment, economic growth and poverty reduction as it employs 60% of our labour force and contributes 59% of the GDP. “Over the last five years there has been an acceleration of economic growth at an average of 7% per annum and there has been a reduction in the proportion of people living under the $1.25 per day poverty line. But the numbers of the poor have continued to rise because of the rapid increase in population growth, and at 2.2% annual growth rate our population is projected to hit 10.5 million by 2050”, said Professor Monty Jones.

The scientist also revealed that President Koroma recognizes that food security is essential for national security and for peace and stability. To attain food security and eradicate hunger and poverty, he emphasized, Sierra Leone must increase agricultural productivity, value addition and competitiveness. He however said a balanced approach is needed so as not to create disincentives for production, adding that Sierra Leone needs to accelerate improved productivity to avoid creating dependency (labour, land, and water, and productivity should cover total factor productivity and profitability).

World Bank Country Manager, Ato Brown said Sierra Leone has made tremendous progress in the transformation of the agricultural sector. He commended President Koroma for his commitment to agriculture which has made relative impact in the lives of farmers and the country. Fisheries, according to the World Manager, is also doing well as 36,000 artisanal fishermen are being restored in their fishing activities, and encouraged government to sustain the success. He assured government of their continued support in providing financial and technical assistance.

Dr Marco Wopereis, deputy Director General of Africa Rice Center said Africa has a rapidly growing population of young people and large land and water resources for crop, livestock, fishery and forestry production. “Africa can feed Africa and produce quality products for export to other parts of the world. We need to turn that vision into reality in Sierra Leone. The CGIAR is ready to contribute”, he pledged.

Making a strong commitment to the process, Captain Allieu Pat-Sowe, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources said, “I will be happy to present our sector status to you and to dialogue with you in the next three days so that we can create healthy systems in our fish value chain in order to increase the current level of fish production to a level that can contribute significantly to food security and wealth creation in Sierra Leone”.

Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Minkailu Bah noted that education is at the heart of the conference as it is the key to all vehicles that travel along the path to prosperity. He said that without education, it is impossible to enter the vehicle and start the engine. “It is no secret that the three things that will rid Sierra Leone of the scourge of poverty, ensure self-sufficiency in food production, and make it into a happy and healthy middle-income country in the minimum time possible are EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION.

The opening ceremony was dexterously moderated by the Hon. Minister of Information and Communication, Alhaji Abu Bakarr Sahid Kanu.

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