By: Joseph Momoh, Reporter D.S
Freetown, June 23, 2025 — The Produce Monitoring Board (PMB) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs (MOYA) have announced a partnership to support a national youth-led cash crop initiative aimed at enhancing employment opportunities and agricultural productivity.
During the launch, Minister of Youth Affairs Ibrahim Sannoh presented a strategic plan focused on key cash crops including cocoa, oil palm, cashew, and bamboo. The initiative proposes the establishment of youth-led centers, each with 15,000 trees, alongside skills training, centralized processing units, and resource hubs to promote value addition and market competitiveness.
Executive Chairman of PMB, Mr. Raymond Katta, welcomed the project, reaffirming PMB’s commitment to the government’s vision of creating 500,000 new jobs. Director of Operations, Mr. Didan Sankoh, outlined PMB’s core areas, which include production, processing, value addition, quality control, and marketing, emphasizing that training will be a cross-cutting priority.
Agreements reached during the meeting include the submission of a detailed strategy by MOYA to PMB by June 25, the formation of a joint technical working group, the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and a follow-up meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to present key outcomes next week.
The meeting concluded with Minister Sannoh highlighting the oil palm sector as a case study, demonstrating the significant potential for profitability and economic growth through youth-led investments in agriculture.
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