As Amb. Ndomahina Supports the Feed Salone Initiative, NaCSA Hands Over Agric Processing Center...

*NaCSA House 21st June 2024*

– The Government of Sierra Leone through the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) and its implementing partners including The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has handed over the Fruits, vegetables and rice processing centres to the people of Koinadugu and Falaba district.   

In handing over the sites to the GIZ representatives, the Commissioner for the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), Amb. Ernest Mbaimba Ndomahina thanked the German government for its support. He reiterated that the intervention is in line with the Big Five Game Changers and the President’s ambition to fulfil the Feed Salone agenda. He encouraged farmers and residents from the three districts to utilize the facilities strictly for their desired purposes. *‘’His Excellency Dr Julius Maada Bio’s ambition is to feed Salone regardless of tribe, region or political affiliation. As Sierra Leoneans, the urgent need to support the President’s ambition cannot be overemphasized. The construction of these processing facilities is a demonstration that as a Commission, we have aligned our intervention with the national development framework.’’* He ended.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Adviser for GIZ; Kefil W. Kosan feels fulfilled to have seen the completion of this project. He noted that for over 15 years, the GIZ Implementation partnership with NaCSA has been strategically tailored to focus on enhancing local capacities, creating employment opportunities, improving livelihoods through the provision of storage facilities, market and creating market linkages by constructing, reconstructing and re-habilitating community infrastructures including feeder roads. *‘’we have not only provided in-kind and technical support to beneficiaries of the processing centres but have also built a foundation for long-term sustainability and self-reliance. The centres incorporate various stores, shelves, generator rooms, toilets, one tricycle, two motorbikes, desktops, printers, assorted tools and facilitating strategies for the phasing-out strategies of the facility management team.’’* She added.

Resident and local authorities from all the chiefdoms appreciated the government through NaCSA and development partners for the construction of these facilities. *‘’…before now, most of our agricultural products could not make it to the market because of a lack of processing equipment and centre. We are hopeful that these new centres will add value to our agricultural activities’’* one of the beneficiaries, Md. Amie noted.

In summary, the Pro Poor-Growth for Peace Consolidation Project (GPC), commenced in 2006, because of a Financial Cooperation Agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany represented by the German Development Bank (KfW).

The Program Executing Agency (PEA) in Sierra Leone is the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA).

In January 2019, GoSL and the Federal Republic of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW) signed a Financial Cooperation Agreement of Euro 20million for the extension of the GPC programme to a third phase -GPC III for a further four years to 2019-2023.

The overall objective of the prgramme is to improve employment and income situation especially for youths in rural communities by providing enhanced economic infrastructure (feeder roads and bridges, grain stores with ancillary facilities, cattle paddocks and water wells) along selected agricultural value chains, constructed by using labour-intensive approaches.

*For further information on this and other matters, don't hesitate to get in touch with The Information, Education and Communication Unit: at +23277022709/+23278319419/+23230518539*