By Aima Sow (Queen Lima)
An agricultural life is one eminently calculated for human happiness and human virtue. The first farmer was the first man, and all historic nobility rests on possession and use of land. A fertile soil alone does not carry agriculture to perfection.
Agriculture is civilization. President Bio is a man of civilization, goal, passion, positive thought and many more hence he chooses Agriculture (FEED SALONE) as his KEY player in his new administration.
The President’s vision is to see that Sierra Leoneans grow what they eat, eat what they grow and make many out of it also. For me, I think that Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.
In achieving this noble objective President Bio and his Government pledge to;
– Augment the Government’s budget allocation to agriculture to a minimum of 10%.
– Formulate policies that foster competitiveness in local rice production.
– Invest in research to enhance yields for priority crops such as rice, cassava, cocoa, coffee, cashew, and livestock productivity.
– Expand the cultivated area for rice by adopting mechanisation and irrigation techniques in the nation’s rice bowl.
– Provide financing options that mitigate risks for private sector investments in processing and value addition.
– Recognise the indispensability of key agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, as essential items.
– Develop financing and insurance schemes that incentivise horticultural production among smallholder farmers.
– Establish a domestic institutional feeding program encompassing educational institutions, military establishments, and health care facilities, thereby stimulating food production from the esteemed farmers.
– Facilitate the establishment of cash crop cooperatives and commodity exchanges to bolster food processing and aggregation.
– Provide training initiatives and incentives to attract the vibrant energy of the youth towards the realm of agriculture.
– Diversify local food consumption and nutrition to encompass other food items besides rice in our national diet.
