By Prince J Musa in Kenema
Farmers in Kenema have launched a farmers’ cooperative called Yakineh that is geared towards bringing farmers together for better agricultural productivity.
The launching which took place on the 15th of September 2022 at the City Council hall, in Kenema captured farmers’ groups from Dodo, Simbaru, Kandu- Leppiama, Lower Bambara, Wandor, and Gorama Mende Chiefdoms. The theme for the launch was: ‘’supporting bulk marketing sales’’.
Giving an overview of the cooperative, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder, Dr. Emmanuel Dauda disclosed that the initiative is a result of the hard work of local farmers in the rural setting in producing agricultural products. He said farmers have been producing farm produce, but could not benefit from them.
He pointed out the importance of establishing such an organization where farmers will work as a body to produce, process, and help create a market where they can export their products and benefit.
He stated that farmers in Sierra Leone lack the knowledge and skills to assemble their agricultural produce for marketing. He said the lack of such know-how creates bad debt in their dealings with foreign buyers of their cocoa, coffee, and other produce.
“Yakineh farmers’ cooperative will help train farmers with modern agricultural skills, ’’ he said.
The Chairman of the Kenema District Council, Amadu Sesay, who also chaired the event described the cooperative as important and timely in bringing farmers together with a common interest. He said, the idea of individual farmers selling their cocoa and coffee singlehandedly will not allow them to make much more profit than when in a cooperative.
He added that foreigners that are exporting the products are getting huge profits at the detriment of the farmers. He encouraged the organization to serve the people with transparency to build trust.
“I want to advise the Yakineh cooperative to display honesty in their activities with the farmers,’’ he said.
Paramount Chief Steven Foday Kpakira Fabba of Dodo described as historic the formation of the cooperative. He commended the initiators of the farmers’ cooperative that he said will help unite farmers and ensure sustainable development in the agricultural sector.
‘’It is only with unity and accountability that will help the cooperative to be sustainable and this should serve as an example to other people in the agricultural sector,’’ he said.
He appealed to the CEO of the cooperative to follow due diligence with the organization for the development of the farmers.
In his Keynote address, Rev. Saffa Joseph Torto congratulated the farmers for establishing a cooperative. He promised to help the farmers to practice organic farming, and ensure safety, health, environmental, and gender development issues.
Rev. Torto maintained that the cooperative will also provide empowerment, capacity-building activities, and fundamental organization structure with internal management, financial, and productivity operational systems.
“The farmers’ cooperative will enable them to practice good governance which will enhance their access to international buyers. This will motivate other people to emulate the initiative from Yakineh Farmers Cooperation in promoting agriculture,’’ he said.
He stressed the organization’s readiness to help the local farmers speak with one voice with a focus on improving their farming skills so that they will benefit. He encouraged them to make good use of the opportunity, noting that agriculture is one of the government's priority areas in the development of the country.
The main objective of the Yakineh farmers’ cooperative was to train farmers in improved organic nursery establishment and management of cocoa, coffee, cashew, palm oil, and vegetable cultivation.
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