Taiama Town, Kori Chiefdom, Moyamba District – In a powerful demonstration of leadership by example, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Maada Bio on Friday joined young master farmer Sherilyn Cowan and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for the symbolic harvest of a flourishing 60-hectare maize plantation in Taiama Town, Kori Chiefdom, Moyamba District. The golden fields stretched along the Bo–Taiama Highway, heavy with mature cobs ready for harvest. Under the bright morning sun, the President and First Lady walked the rows with farmers, ministry officials, local authorities and community members, personally taking part in the gathering of the crop. The farm, owned by Sherilyn’s Enterprise for National Change (SENC) and supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, stands as a shining example of youth-led commercial agriculture under the government’s flagship Feed Salone programme. President Bio used the occasion to reaffirm his personal commitment to transforming Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector. “Feed Salone is not just a government programme; it is a call to action for every Sierra Leonean,” he declared. “If we all grow what we eat and invest in agriculture, we can secure our nation’s future and lift millions out of poverty.”
He praised Madam Cowan for her courage, innovation and determination. “What Sherilyn is doing is exactly what Feed Salone is about young people leading the way in transforming agriculture into a modern, profitable and sustainable enterprise,” the President emphasized. He noted that her success reflects the spirit of inclusive national development the government seeks to promote across the country. The First Lady, who has consistently championed food security and women’s economic empowerment, stood alongside her husband throughout the harvest. Her presence underscored the administration’s shared vision that agricultural transformation requires the full participation of every Sierra Leonean young and old, men and women. The event formed part of the President’s two-day assessment tour of key agricultural facilities and projects. Earlier stops included the Rokupr Agricultural Research Station, the National Seed Testing Laboratory at Mile 91, and the President’s own 1,000-acre cashew farm, which currently provides employment for about 150 Sierra Leoneans. The tour allowed the Head of State to monitor progress in the second year of Feed Salone implementation and to engage directly with farmers and agripreneurs driving the agenda on the ground.
Community members and traditional leaders turned out in large numbers to welcome the presidential couple. The atmosphere was festive yet purposeful, with residents celebrating both the bountiful harvest and the visible progress of a national programme designed to achieve food sovereignty and shared prosperity. Madam Cowan expressed deep gratitude for the presidential visit and the continued support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. She described the harvest as the fruit of hard work, modern techniques and the enabling environment created by the Feed Salone initiative. Her journey from software engineer to large-scale maize producer has inspired many young people to view agriculture as a viable and rewarding career path. Officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security highlighted the farm’s contribution to local food supply and its potential to supply raw materials for agro-processing and livestock feed. The successful cultivation of 60 hectares of maize in Kori Chiefdom demonstrates what is possible when government support meets private initiative and community effort. As the harvested cobs were gathered and the fields began to clear, President Bio once again called on Sierra Leoneans, particularly the youth, to invest in farming. He stressed that agriculture remains one of the most sustainable pathways to job creation, economic growth and national self-reliance. The symbolic harvest in Taiama stands as more than a ceremonial occasion. It is a living testimony to the progress of Feed Salone a programme that continues to turn policy into produce, vision into reality, and leadership into tangible results on Sierra Leone’s fertile soils. Together, the nation is feeding Salone.
