The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) and the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) in Sierra Leone have partnered to engage 16 secondary school pupils in presenting innovative ideas to address food security and agricultural challenges. The initiative, which is part of the Sierra Leone World Food Prize Youth Institute, aims to provide secondary school pupils with an opportunity to research food security and agricultural issues while developing their critical-thinking, research, and public-speaking skills.
The pupils presented proposals focused on improving food systems and advancing agricultural development, with a panel of judges assessing their ideas and presentations. The proposals were presented during the second edition of the Sierra Leone World Food Prize Youth Institute, held at Country Lodge Hotel in Freetown. The initiative seeks to encourage young people to develop practical solutions to challenges facing agriculture and food systems in Sierra Leone.
Two pupils, Komeh David Issa of Murialdo Secondary School in Lunsar and Aminata F.K. Kabba of Services Secondary School in Freetown, emerged as the two finalists. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, commended the pupils for the quality of their presentations and encouraged them to make full use of the opportunities provided through the Youth Institute to develop practical solutions to challenges facing agriculture and food systems.
The Minister linked the initiative to the Government’s efforts to increase youth participation in food systems transformation and support the objectives of the Feed Salone initiative. He emphasized the importance of engaging young people in agriculture and food-security discussions to develop the ideas and skills needed to address the country’s food-system challenges.
Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Hon. Conrad Sackey, noted that the pupils’ presentations demonstrated the potential of education to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to respond to challenges related to agriculture, climate change, and food security. The programme was also commended by Vice Chancellor of Njala University, Prof. Bashiru Koroma, and Jon Wogman, Senior Director of Global Youth Programs and Partnerships at the World Food Prize Foundation.
The Youth Institute builds on Sierra Leone’s inaugural programme in 2025, which brought together secondary school pupils to research and present solutions to food security, climate change, and agricultural innovation challenges. The programme was funded through the World Bank-supported Food System Resilience Program, reinforcing the role of youth-focused initiatives in encouraging research, innovation, and practical ideas to address Sierra Leone’s agricultural and food-security priorities.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security I, Dr. Isata Kamanda, moderated the programme, while Deputy Minister II, Ing. Bryan Smart-Kanu, presented certificates to participating pupils. Minister Kpaka presented certificates to the two finalists. The initiative aims to develop young people as future leaders in food systems, with progress highlighted in areas including infrastructure, markets, and food systems.
Key points
- The Sierra Leone World Food Prize Youth Institute aims to provide secondary school pupils with an opportunity to research food security and agricultural issues while developing their critical-thinking, research, and public-speaking skills.
- The initiative seeks to encourage young people to develop practical solutions to challenges facing agriculture and food systems in Sierra Leone.
- The programme was funded through the World Bank-supported Food System Resilience Program.
