By Paul Lamin in Kenema

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) with support from two key organizations: Farm Input Promotions Africa (FIPS) and Seed System Group (SSG) had, on Thursday 13th March 2025, observed Farmers Field Day.

The event was held at the Lambayama Training Center, at a Chinese Farm in Kenema.

The  Farmers Field Day celebrations brought together farmers from five Chiefdoms within  Kenema district, including Nongowa. Small Bo, Niawa, Koya and Dama, staff of MAFS, FIPS, and Seed System international.

The District Director of Agriculture (DAO) of Kenema District, Matthew Mohammed Kenneh, in his opening statement, welcomed  farmers who have worked assiduously to make that day a success.

He said the purpose of the Farmers Field Day was to showcase the level of seriousness being demonstrated by the Network Coordinators (NC); Village Based Advisors VBAs(VBA) and their farmers in the implementation of the SMALL – PACK project in their localities.

Matthew Mohammed Kenneh said the  SMALL PACK Project was a new concept derived from Kenya, for some years ago, with the aim to help farmers in Sierra Leone develop high yielding variety of Nerica L19 sub 1 and the Orylux, and among other crops that is of much benefit to  farmers.

He said even though some farmers remain skeptical over the SMALL PACK of seeds given to them for planting, they realized that after cultivation lots of testimonies were given especially with the kind of bumper harvests they were being able to make particularly the Nerica L19 sub 1 rice.

He said two international organizations, Farm Imput Promotions System (FIPS) and Seed System Group International (SSGl), gave support to the farmers through the Extension Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security MAFS.  He talked of the Seven (7) staff from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security  who went to Kenya in March last year 2024 and had a training on the VBA concept model.

After the training in Kenya, the team was supported financially as a pilot phase for one year.

Upon returning back from Kenya, the team was assigned the responsibility to implement the VBA Small Packs concept to Network Coordinators, VBAs and Farmers in their respective districts. This follows after the selection and training of VBAs for the implementation of the pilot phase of the project 2024/2025, “and today, it has come out successfully.”

Mr. Matthew Mohammed Kenneh assured partners that their support will never go in vain as long as these hard-working farmers continue to add more  strength into the farming process.

Madam Janatu Sesay,  head of delegation and also the national coordinator of the Seed System Group International (SSGI), thanked the farmers and extended greetings from the leadership of SSGI for supporting farmers across Africa to grow their own local seeds. Madam Janatu Sasay stated  that any production depends on the quality of the seeds rather than the quantity of it.

She told farmers that good seeds can always bring about good yields. Madam Janatu Sasay warned farmers to keep their seeds safe from being eaten up by rodents and to preserve it for the next season.

The Coordinator said the FEED  SALONE  initiative of HE President Bio is everybody’s business and as farmers they are the front runners of this initiative.

She concluded by thanking the District Director of Agriculture DAO and the farmers for the successful implementation of the pilot phase of the project.

And hoped that more support will be given to other farmers to continue the process.  She also extended appreciation to FIPS AFRICA for supporting Sierra Leonean farmers.

In her remarks, Madam Susan Muthani from Farm Input Promotions System (FIPS AFRICA ), said her organization is working with farmers across Africa and that all farmers across Africa share common characteristics.

She said Sierra Leone was better enough in rice production than her sister country Kenya, adding the farmers have shown commitments towards the project. Madam Susan Muthani said the farmers were given small packs of 100g rice but have multiplled in double folds.

She stated that their goal is to work with some partners to undertake original research to validate options and technologies that work well in smallholder farming systems which are more sustainable, low-cost solutions to improve soil health, increase productivity or reduce drudgery.

They are supporting farmers to use trail-pack of seeds to test the suitability of the crop before moving to a large-scale farming.

The Assistant Director Extension Division in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security who doubles as the keynote speaker, Aroun Rashid Kamara, extended greetings from the Minister Dr Henry Musa Kpaka and the entire top management of the ninistry and to the partners for supporting the farmers Field Day and the entire pilot phase of the project.

“Of course, I am impressed with the output of our farmers, this clearly shows that our farmers are able to feed this country if the technology and support they need is provided especially in the area of quality seeds.”

Mr. Kamara assured the two supporting partners that the Ministry will always deliver whenever there is support from them.

He thanked the DAO and his entire team for doing a great job and a special one to the farmers who were able to adhere to the directives of the NC, VBAs, and the Ministry’s team here in Kenema.

To ease the burden of the Farmers, a sum of NLe 18,000 was donated to Madam Mariama Kalokoh to start up an Agro-Dealer shop, which will help the farmers to access quality seeds and other farm inputs.

The field day was climaxed with the inspection of harvested rice from each Chiefdom.