In an effort to promote flood mitigation, sound land use planning, and food security, the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) has begun a 70-acre Boliland Embankment Project for agricultural purposes in Kholifa Mabang Chiefdom, Tonkolili District.

The project, funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of Sierra Leone, will see NaCSA develop 70 acres of the 127-acre surveyed Boliland for rice cultivation and other agricultural activities. The project includes the construction of peripheral canals, plots, and embankments along the designated area, while preserving existing natural canals to account for the local topography.

During a community and stakeholder meeting held at the Kholifa Mabang Hub, NaCSA’s Hub Based Specialist, Kejan Kokofele, highlighted that the project’s beneficiaries include the community, the Micro Enterprise Group (MEG) – a male agricultural group formed by NaCSA – and the landowning families, all under the supervision of the Chiefdom authorities. He encouraged the community to take ownership of the project and contribute to its success.

Engineer Abdulai Bundu, the Clerk of Works attached to the Kholifa Mabang Hub, explained that the project aligns with NaCSA’s mandate to support livelihoods in underprivileged communities and address their key needs, with agriculture being a top priority. He outlined the project’s expected benefits, including flood mitigation, increased agricultural productivity, crop rotation, mixed cultivation, the provision of seed banks, power tillers, savings schemes, agricultural inputs, training programs, storage facilities, and the creation of small fish ponds.

The Regent Chief of Kholifa Mabang, Chief Sallieu Kargbo, expressed his gratitude to NaCSA for undertaking this significant project, which will improve the community’s livelihood. He pledged the community’s unwavering support and a strong working relationship with NaCSA for the project’s successful implementation.