Iowa, United States, Wednesday, October 30, 2024 – His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio held a productive meeting with senior officials from the United States government, emphasizing the need for collaboration in the fields of agriculture and food security.
The delegation was led by Alexis Taylor, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, who extended a warm welcome to President Bio in Iowa. She underscored potential collaborative efforts between the Department of Agriculture and the Government of Sierra Leone.
Taylor expressed her dedication to supporting women in agriculture by improving their access to land, financing, and technology to bolster their participation in the industry. She also highlighted the critical issue of climate change and discussed initiatives in agriculture, including climate-smart rice cultivation.
Dr. Manjit Misra, Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, explained about the NextGen programme which aims to nurture a new generation of diverse professionals in food and agriculture. He stated that the programme helps higher education institutions in training students to become professionals in food and agriculture and noted that it represents a potential partnership opportunity between the Institute and Government of Sierra Leone
Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, commended President Bio for his strong leadership and sound macroeconomic reforms in Sierra Leone. He urged U.S. government officials to lend their support to Sierra Leone, recognizing the President’s ambitious goal of achieving food security for the nation.
In response, President Bio expressed gratitude to the delegation for their commitment to support the Feed Salone initiative, sharing updates on the strides made since its launch last year.
He elaborated on various investment prospects and the importance of establishing a reliable partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture. Additionally, he outlined several legal reforms aimed at increasing women’s representation in governance, ensuring better access to land and financing to enhance their role in agriculture.
President Bio also welcomed the NextGen programme as a means to empower youth as professionals in the food and agriculture sectors, committing to harness opportunities for students and universities in Sierra Leone.
Following this engagement, President Bio convened a roundtable discussion with agricultural and food security leaders to canvass support and mobilize additional funding for developing the Sierra Leone Special Rice Agro-Processing Zone.
