By: Josephine Nyeweah in Kenema district
On March 1, 2025, in Pendembu town, Upper Bambara Chiefdom, Kailahun District, the Agriculture Value Chain Development Project (AVDP), with support from IFAD through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, concluded a six-day refresher training for 82 oil palm youth contractors.

The participants, drawn from Kenema, Kailahun, and Kono districts, included 50 females and 32 males, reflecting the project’s commitment to gender inclusion in agriculture.

AVDP’s Eastern Region Agronomist, Michael Koroma, emphasized that the training aimed to enhance farm management and post-harvest practices. Similar training was also conducted for 146 youth contractors from Moyamba, Bo, Bonthe, and Pujehun districts at Njala University.

Equipped with updated technical skills, the trained youth contractors are expected to transfer their knowledge to other farmers, ensuring sustainable growth in Sierra Leone’s oil palm sector.