Freetown: The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) significantly bolstered its disease surveillance capabilities on Tuesday with the commissioning of a fleet of 16 Toyota Hilux vehicles and 45 motorbikes. This crucial equipment handover, funded through the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) One Health Pandemic Fund project, took place at the Youyi Building grounds in Brookfields. The event gathered media representatives, civil society members, and senior government officials to witness this strategic investment in the nation's agricultural health.
According to Sierra Leone News Agency, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, formally received the assets, highlighting the enduring and productive partnership between MAFS and the FAO. He detailed that the new resources would be deployed to all districts, directly empowering District Agriculture Officers and veterinary teams. This enhanced mobility is critical for intensifying surveillance operations and strengthening the national response framework against zoonotic diseases. Dr. Kpaka issued a directive for the responsible upkeep of the vehicles and motorbikes, assuring stakeholders of the Ministry's commitment to leveraging this support for effective planning and collaborative action.
FAO Representative Mr. Saeed A. Bancie characterized the event as a landmark moment in the collaborative efforts between his organization and the Government of Sierra Leone. He underscored the indispensable role of reliable mobility in achieving rapid responses to disease outbreaks, particularly in isolated, hard-to-reach communities. Beyond emergency response, Mr. Bancie noted the fleet's importance in facilitating essential farmer trainings, a core component of the Pandemic Fund project's One Health approach. He reaffirmed the FAO's dedication to ongoing investments in technical expertise, policy development, and evidence-based solutions, all aimed at fortifying Sierra Leone's agricultural sector.
Mr. Bancie further emphasized that the impact of this support would resonate nationwide, directly benefiting communities whose livelihoods depend on agriculture. He urged the Ministry to ensure the assets are managed with responsibility, meticulously maintained, and directed precisely where they are most needed. Describing the contribution as an investment from the global community in Sierra Leone's agricultural resilience, Mr. Bancie called for effective utilization to fully realize the project's objectives.
The Director of the Livestock and Veterinary Services Division, Mr. Saidu Bamayange, hailed the fleet as the single largest support package ever received from the FAO. He projected that this infusion of resources would accelerate the achievement of 50% of the Ministry's 2026 targets. Director Bamayange pledged the assets would be deployed across all districts to enhance the early detection of and timely response to animal disease outbreaks. He elaborated on the broader One Health Pandemic Fund project, which encompasses an in-service veterinary training programme, the distribution of 250 mobile phones to livestock owners in remote areas for disease reporting, support for two long-pending parliamentary bills, the development of crucial policy regulations, and the establishment of a new animal laboratory.