The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Irish Aid in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Food Security yesterday commissioned the Bonthe District Agriculture Office at New Site Mattru Jong in the Bonthe District.
Ag, District Officer Bonthe Saffa Kanneh who chaired the ceremony, said the Agriculture Ministry has facilitated the construction of community Banks and also supporting small scale framing in the district.
Paramount Chief of Jong Chiefdom Badara Sheriff delivered the welcome address and called on residents to embrace the project.
He said the district is unique, despite the under-development.
Umu Musa said the district has benefited from the ministry of agriculture but called for continued support towards the project.
Prince Kamara of the Small Holder Commercialization Programme said the project has six components which include support to farmers with machinery, construction of 193 Agriculture Business Centers across the country, small scale irrigation feeder road rehabilitation, rural finance, social protection coordination.
He said the projects are implemented to address the global financial crisis and called on locals to embrace agriculture for development and sustainable growth.
The Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Dr. Gabriel Rugalema, congratulated all those who contributed to the implementation of the project.
He said to respond to food crisis around the world, Irish Aid provided over USD$2m for implementation of the project for Bo and Bonthe Districts, in the areas of mobilization of farmers through farmer field schools, as over 2100 were trained and farmer-based organization of 66 per 75 members each have also been established with agriculture business centers.
The Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Dr. Gabriel Rugalema said construction of the Bonthe District Agriculture Office was also funded by Irish Aid and FAO.
He said the building is very good and called on the Agriculture Ministry to make good use of the facilities.
He stated that over Le 754m was spent on the project, and are proud to hand over the building for use by the Ministry.
Irish Aid Programme Manager Mohamed Jalloh said nutrition and food security is still a great concern for many people as 45% of our population is food insecured. He said Irish Aid is committed and determined to help reduce malnutrition and food insecurity to support national programs and small holder commercialization programmes.
He said the Ministry has indicated that agriculture should be done for business and it should also be done in the same vein for nutrition.
The Bonthe District Agriculture Officer Haroun Rashid Kamara said the office has nine offices and three toilets with a water well and a generator.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Food Security Dr. Sam Sesay, said Bonthe will be supported with a landing craft adding that eleven ABC’s have also been constructed and 18 tractors were also provided for farmers, rice mill for Tomabum farmers.
He also said that they have also secured seed money from development partners for the acquisition of 3500 hectares of land for the palm oil project with plans to increase it to 7000 hectares with an oil mill to be constructed for 10,000 tons per hour.
The Minister commended FAO and Irish Aid for providing the funding towards the project and encouraged locals to embrace the project.
A conducted tour of the ultra modern Bonthe District Agriculture office formed a high point of the ceremony.
By Saidu Bah
Original Article Here
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