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The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), in collaboration with the Food Security and Resilience Project (FSRP – SL) and the World Food Prize Foundation, successfully held the first-ever Sierra Leone National Youth Institute Symposium at the New Brookfields Hotel.
The event brought together students and key stakeholders from across the Sierra Leone, reflecting a collective commitment to addressing global food security issues.
During the symposium, twenty exceptional high school students presented innovative and well-researched proposals aimed at enhancing food systems and combating hunger.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, commended the students for their dedication to research and innovation. He stated, “We will keep doing this every year to create new pathways for young leaders in agriculture, science, and policy. With passion like this, the future of our food systems and President Bio’s FeedSalone initiative is in strong hands.”
Kpaka encouraged the participants to view the Ministry as their “second classroom,” assuring them that his technical team is prepared to support and develop their capacities in agricultural science and policy.
In a notable achievement, two students were declared winners of the symposium and will represent Sierra Leone at the World Food Prize Foundation’s global event scheduled for Africa in 2026.
The event was supported by various partners, including the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), Njala University, Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI), and other vital stakeholders such as the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Bank.
