By Dadson Musa

Kono District, Sierra Leone , on April 4, 2025, Minister of Agriculture Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka visited Kono District to launch a transformative private sector-led investment in mechanized farming, spearheaded by agribusiness entrepreneur Madam Siita Kaikai, this initiative introduces six state-of-the-art tractors and a comprehensive set of modern implements, poised to revolutionize cultivation across the region.

This investment directly supports President Julius Maada Bio’s Feed Salone initiative, which calls on private actors to drive Sierra Leone’s food systems transformation. In Konoa district renowned for its agricultural potential yet challenged by outdated farming methods the new machinery promises to boost efficiency, increase yields, and create a scalable model for sustainable mechanization.

During the launch, Minister Kpaka praised Madam Kaikai’s bold leadership, this is a timely investment that aligns perfectly with our national push for mechanization, he said, it’s a model we aim to replicate nationwide, he highlighted how such initiatives could unlock government-backed credit facilities, encouraging more private sector investment in agricultural equipment and strengthening Sierra Leone’s path to food security.

Kono’s farming communities, deeply tied to both crop and livestock production, received additional good news. Minister Kpaka announced the cabinet’s approval of the national cattle settlement policy, aimed at reducing conflicts between farmers and herders, he also unveiled plans for the $105 million Livestock and Livelihood Development Project, set to enhance the livestock sector, with Kono positioned as a key player in its rollout.

For local farmers, the arrival of these tools signals a new era, these tractors mean more than just machines they’re a chance for better harvests and better lives, said Madam Kaikai, whose investment has sparked optimism across the district, by reducing reliance on backbreaking manual labor, the project promises to lift productivity and improve livelihoods.

As Sierra Leone advances toward agricultural self-sufficiency, Kono’s mechanization milestone stands as a powerful example of how private initiative and government vision can work hand in hand to reshape the nation’s future.