By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema

General Manager Fulladu East Agric project Friday said his organization has successfully embarked on a large scale of mechanised boliland rice cultivation at Tormabum in the Bonthe district; a development that the high cost of rice will soon reduce.

Mohamed Gadgigo, who is also national co-ordinator of community agricultural development organisation, said the organisation, which started full operations this year has cultivated two hundred and fifty-nine (259) bushels of rice on two hundred and fifty-nine (259) acres of boliland at Tormabum. He said plans were underway to cultivate up to five hundred (500) acres of land rice this year.

“Our first phase of the project is to create seed bank for next year's planting season, as our focus is to produce enough food for national consumption. If the project is well supported we will be proud to export rice to other countries,” he said.

Gadgigo commended the people of Tormabum for their support and cooperation and called on Sierra Leoneans to support the food security venture so that this country would no longer depend on imported rice.

“Not all is well with the project. We need more tractors, seed rice and mobility.  We will be grateful if government could come to our aid,” he said.