Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has pledged to provide special incentives for women farmers to boost their capacity in agriculture. He made the announcement during a ceremony marking this year’s World Food Day in Pujehun.

President Bio said that supporting women in agriculture and food production is non-negotiable in his government’s Feed Salone program. He pledged to provide special incentives to women farmers and agripreneurs, and to create opportunities for women to improve their agricultural knowledge and capacities.

Women make up the majority of the agriculture workforce in Sierra Leone, especially in rural areas where they produce most of the foodstuffs the country consumes. President Bio’s pledge to support women farmers is a welcome development, and it could have a significant impact on food security and economic growth in the country.

The Feed Salone program is a flagship initiative of the Bio administration that seeks to ensure food self-sufficiency, job creation, and economic growth. The program focuses on increasing agricultural productivity, improving access to markets, and promoting value addition.

President Bio’s pledge to support women farmers is a positive step towards achieving the goals of the Feed Salone program. It is important to note, however, that the government will need to provide concrete support to women farmers in order to make the pledge a reality. This could include providing access to credit, inputs, and training.