Dr Henry Musa Kpaka, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, visited large-scale rice operations in Mamuntha and Magbass, Tonkolili District, as part of a nationwide tour leading up to World Food Day 2025, to assess progress and reiterate the government’s commitment to the Feed Salone program.
During his visit, Dr Kpaka inspected Mr Bisman Kamara’s large farm, which is funded by the Ministry’s Food Systems Resilience Project. Mr.
Amara grows more than 500 hectares (over 1,200 acres) of rice and anticipates average yields of around 4 metric tons per hectare, which is roughly equivalent to 80 bags per hectare. If those projections are accurate at full harvest, the farm will make a significant contribution to Sierra Leone’s domestic rice supply.
Minister Kpaka praised Mr Kamara’s operation as a practical example of what can be achieved when government programs and the private sector work together. “This is exactly the kind of transformation we want to see under Feed Salone—farmers producing at scale, creating jobs, and bringing Sierra Leone closer to rice self-sufficiency,” he said, emphasising the need for both public and private sector support in improving national food security.
Mr Kamara urged fellow Sierra Leoneans, particularly young people, to consider agriculture as a profitable and long-term business opportunity, and he thanked the Ministry and its partners for their technical and financial assistance in facilitating the large-scale venture.
Minister Kpaka’s week-long field trips to key agricultural hubs across the country include a stop in Tonkolili. The tour’s objectives are to highlight successful farming models, encourage other farmers to adopt similar practices, and ensure that government assistance is translating into tangible results on the ground to increase food production and resilience.
