Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio participated in a symbolic rice harvesting event on his 1,467-acre farm in Tihun, Sogbini Chiefdom. The activity took place ahead of the World Food Day commemoration and marks the one-year anniversary of Feed Salone. President Bio emphasized his dedication to agriculture by stating, “I don’t want to stop at asking people to do it; I want to be seen doing it myself and setting the example.”
The President plans to expand his rice cultivation to over 2,000 acres next year, aiming for increased production. He expressed confidence that this would ensure food security: “We will have plenty to eat, plenty to sell, and we will move away from the struggle to secure the most basic necessity of life, food.”
President Bio also highlighted Sierra Leone’s potential for agricultural investment due to its natural resources, including more than five million hectares of arable land and abundant rainfall. He noted ongoing government efforts to create a favorable environment for investors by focusing on infrastructure development such as roads and electricity.
In addition to rice farming, President Bio owns several farms across Sierra Leone where he cultivates cocoa, cashew nuts, coffee, and operates a fish farm. Last month he harvested over 1,000 tonnes of fish at his farm in Masiaka.
President Bio's involvement in agriculture is part of a broader strategy for sustainable development in Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector.
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