MAFS, MBSSE Engages 16 School Pupils in Freetown to Tackle Food Security Challenges
Osman Tolo Sesay The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), in partnership with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), has brought together 16 secondary school pupils to present innovative ideas addressing food security and agricultural challenges in Sierra Leone.
The presentations were made during the second edition of the Sierra Leone World Food Prize Youth Institute, held at Country Lodge Hotel in Freetown. The initiative provides secondary school pupils with an opportunity to research food security and agricultural issues while developing their critical-thinking, research and public-speaking skills.
The pupils presented proposals focused on improving food systems and advancing agricultural development, with a panel of judges assessing their ideas and presentations. Komeh David Issa of Murialdo Secondary School in Lunsar and Aminata F.K. Kabba of Services Secondary School in Freetown emerged as the two finalists.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, commended the pupils for the quality of their presentations and encouraged them to make full use of the opportunities provided through the Youth Institute to develop practical solutions to challenges facing agriculture and food systems.
“Take full advantage of the opportunities provided through the Youth Institute and develop innovative solutions to challenges facing agriculture and food systems,” Kpaka urged.
The Minister linked the initiative to the Government’s efforts to increase youth participation in food systems transformation and support the objectives of the Feed Salone initiative. He said engaging young people in agriculture and food-security discussions is important to developing the ideas and skills needed to address the country’s food-system challenges.
Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Hon. Conrad Sackey, said the pupils’ presentations demonstrated the potential of education to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to respond to challenges related to agriculture, climate change and food security.
Vice Chancellor of Njala University, Prof. Bashiru Koroma, noted that the programme encourages students to move beyond identifying problems by selecting specific challenges, gathering evidence and developing arguments for practical change.
Jon Wogman, Senior Director of Global Youth Programs and Partnerships at the World Food Prize Foundation, also commended Sierra Leone’s efforts to develop young people as future leaders in food systems. He highlighted progress associated with Feed Salone in areas including infrastructure, markets and food systems.
The Youth Institute builds on Sierra Leone’s inaugural programme in 2025, which brought together secondary school pupils to research and present solutions to food security, climate change and agricultural innovation challenges.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security I, Dr. Isata Kamanda, moderated the programme, while Deputy Minister II, Ing. Bryan Smart-Kanu, presented certificates to participating pupils. Minister Kpaka presented certificates to the two finalists.
The programme was funded through the World Bank-supported Food System Resilience Program, reinforcing the role of youth-focused initiatives in encouraging research, innovation and practical ideas to address Sierra Leone’s agricultural and food-security priorities.