The United Nations entity, UN Women which is dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women, has handed over agricultural equipment and inputs to the Women in Agriculture Network (WiAN).
The handing over which took place at the Ma Nyande Farm, Tikonko in Bo District was done in the presence of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Fisheries, WiAN, community stakeholders, development partners, UN Agencies and the Media.
Green houses, solar power irrigation system, fish ponds, power tiller machine, chicken feed machine, seeds among other items.
Handing over the equipment and the inputs, the Programme Specialist, Women Economic Empowerment UN Women, Kadija Isata Jalloh said that they thought it fit to provide WiAN with the necessary equipment that will guarantee high yield production which in turn will increase their income level.
She mentioned that they are aware of the flagship program of the Government of Sierra Leone which is to Feed Salone, and that they as an organization recognized same, adding that what they are doing resonate with the agenda of the Government.
“We believe that if you equipped the women to go into large scale farming, mechanized farming using climate smart agricultural processes, we will be able to feed Sierra Leone,” she said.
She mentioned that she expects other development partners to support women in agriculture and that women who are already into agriculture to support their colleague women who may want to embark on agriculture.
Highlighting that what they are giving out will not be enough to reach most women who are into farming, she said that there is a sustainability plan wherein those who will receive inputs and other equipment are expected to give a quota to WiAN which will be given to others by the next planting season.
She expressed hope that if the sustainability plan is maintained, women in agriculture should be able to continue farming even if UN Women is no more.
In her statement, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture 1, Theresa Tenneh Dick said that within the Ministry there is program titled Feed Salone in which they have Mechanization and Education as their No. 1 pillar among 6 pillars and that it is to ensure that they move away from the backbreaking system of agriculture to the mechanized and commercialized farming system which is advanced farming.
She said that their desire is to encourage women farmers and others to be to farm and make income out of it and just feed from it. She mentioned that as the reason UN Women is giving out seeds to the Women in Agriculture Network.
She said that those who are now receiving seeds are expected to multiply whatever that are receiving as they do not stand to benefit when next such gesture will be made to support others who are yet to benefit. She said that if they multiply whatever is given to them there is the possibility to be able to feed the nation.
She called on the leadership of WiAN to ensure that whatsoever that they will be distributing should be done fairly without any favoritism attached and the Ministry do not want to hear or receive any complaint.
After receiving the donated materials, the President of WiAN, Juliet Lavalie expressed thanks to UN Women and mentioned that UN Women is very sensitive to ensure that whatever support they are giving is balanced. She said that if a farmer received a bag of rice or more same should be given in return after the harvest to support their seed bank.
She disclosed that the World Food Program (WFP) has been supporting the School Feeding Program through their supply of food items. Mentioning the items that they received from UN Women, she said that UN Women is not only supporting Agriculture but also Aquaculture.
