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Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, has shared Sierra Leone’s vision for achieving food self-sufficiency and sustainable agricultural growth with young leaders from around the world at the Global Youth Institute Academic Conference, organized by the World Food Prize Foundation.
The annual conference brings together young innovators, scientists, policymakers, and development leaders to explore solutions to pressing global challenges, including food insecurity, climate change, and malnutrition.
In his address, Dr. Kpaka shared his personal journey from growing up during Sierra Leone’s civil war to earning a PhD from the London School of Economics as an example of resilience and the power of education to transform lives. He noted that education “opened up a world of possibilities” and motivated him to return home to serve his country.
Presenting Sierra Leone’s agricultural roadmap, Dr. Kpaka highlighted the Feed Salone initiative as a bold national movement designed to boost food production, reduce import dependency, and create meaningful jobs, particularly for young people.
He emphasized that the initiative aligns with the government’s broader development agenda of ensuring food security through innovation, investment, and inclusivity.
In a major announcement, Dr. Kpaka unveiled the launch of Sierra Leone’s first-ever Youth Institute, established in collaboration with the World Food Prize Foundation. The institute will empower secondary school students to conduct research, exchange ideas with global peers, and contribute to sustainable food system solutions.
“We are doing all this with young people, not just for them,” Dr. Kpaka stated, reaffirming the government’s commitment to youth-driven agricultural transformation through incubation programs, agribusiness training, and innovation hubs.
He concluded by encouraging young people to take bold leadership roles in shaping global food security, urging them to “stay curious, stay bold, and stay connected,” adding that “together, we can build a future where no one goes hungry, hand in hand, from the soil up.”
The event was attended by representatives from the World Food Prize Foundation, the World Bank, FAO, WFP, IFAD, and AGRA, reflecting Sierra Leone’s growing leadership and visibility in promoting sustainable and inclusive food systems across Africa.
