Le 32 B for value added products

The Ministries of Trade and Industry and Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, launched the Value Added Products in the Agriculture Sector at the Miatta Conference Hall, at Brookfields in Freetown.

In his statement, President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma expressed happiness on the launching of the project.

He emphasized that he was happy because he believes the country was moving on the goals they have set aside in the Agenda for Prosperity which he described as a road map that guides the country’s activities in its march towards becoming a middle income country in the next twenty years.

He stated that the event was in line with the provisions in the development agenda, adding that agriculture has been positioned as the engine of the economy in the country which he said is responsible for forty to forty five percent of Gross Domestic Product. He noted that it was in a bid to consolidate these gains that government has introduced the commercialization sector to commercialize the operations of small holder farmers.

Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma intimated that diversifying agriculture has to be private sector led if the county is to properly address unemployment and poverty.

He further stated that if the country did not get it right in agriculture it shall not able to address the food security issue. He appealed to private sector not to limit their target to the domestic market but to extend it to the international market to make the country proud.

The President noted that he was very aware of the financial and market challenges faced by the private sector which he promised to address.

He encouraged Sierra Leoneans to take a step in the journey to becoming industrialists.

The President called for support for the production of local food products such as cassava, potato, lemon grass, rice, sorghum and moringer etc. than preferring the importation of foreign processed food.

Concluding, President Koroma re-echoed that he was highly elated that the Ministry of Agriculture has taken the lead in supporting the Ministry of Trade and Industry which he said is the right road for the country to achieve the middle income status.

In his statement, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Dr. Joseph Sam Sesay, explained that the whole process started as a result of the new approach that Government has put in place wherein the products are moved from the production centre to where they are needed.

He pointed out that the level of food production has considerably increased even though some of these products have to be processed before consumers can use them as value added products.

He said he was happy to report that the Sierra Leone Producing Market Company (SLPMC) and the Ministry of Trade have done so much in improving agriculture in the country.

He pointed out that SLPMC has succeeded in the competition to be given the funding to mop up the rice and package it to the market for sale.

In his presentation, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Alie Badara Mansaray described the occasion as very exciting for them in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, adding that the Ministry of Agriculture is an island in the Ministry of Trade.

Mr. Mansaray reiterated that over the years people were only practicing subsistence farming which he said could not benefit them as they did not realize much from this kind of farming.

He explained that over the past five years as a Government, they have been struggling on how to transform those subsistence farmers to become economically viable entrepreneurs.

He expressed the need for collaboration and coordination between the two Ministries. He also revealed that a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the two Ministries for them to work together

He also stated that they have intensified their relationship with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development who he said have increased their budget allocation to make them more effective.

He noted that the private sector is very weak while youth unemployment continues to pose serious challenges to the realization of the objectives of government.

He urged the private sector to stand firm to pursue their goals as they have government support.

By Abdulai Mento Kamara

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