In compliance with statutory obligations, Abanga Farms & Food Systems Ltd. has disbursed Le240,000,000 (old Leones) in surface rent to six representative landowner families in Mambolo Chiefdom, Kambia District.
The payment was made on Wednesday, 9th October 2024, marking a significant milestone in the group’s ongoing agricultural investment in Sierra Leone.
Abanga Farms & Food Systems Ltd., a legally registered Ghanaian value chain agribusiness, operates across Namibia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, with its headquarters in Ghana.
The Abanga Group encompasses a diverse portfolio of subsidiaries, including A&G Agro-Mechanical Industries, Abanga Foods, Abanga Farms & Food Systems, and Abanga Direct Farm Services. Through these subsidiaries, Abanga Group provides cutting-edge agricultural machinery—tractors, power tillers, combine harvesters, and more—designed to enhance land preparation, seeding, crop protection, and harvesting operations.
Founder and CEO Dr. Thomas Abanga shared the Group’s overarching vision of empowering agricultural communities by eradicating hunger and poverty. He emphasized the Group’s commitment to equipping farmers with innovative mechanized systems that will elevate traditional agrarian practices beyond subsistence farming to sustainable and profitable agricultural enterprises.
In Sierra Leone, Abanga Group has partnered with the globally renowned Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) of Canada to spearhead large-scale rice cultivation across 50,000 hectares. This transformative project aims to increase yield through advanced mechanization, high-quality seed distribution, and enhanced aggregation and processing systems supported by robust market linkages.
Speaking at the rent payment ceremony in Kobia, Dr. Abanga reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to integrating agri-tech and climate-smart agricultural practices. By applying modern technology and increasing mechanization, the project aims to optimize production and processing.
Over the next five years, it is expected to generate 250,000 jobs, with 70% of the workforce comprising individuals under 35, and at least 50% being young women. The scale of production will significantly reduce the country’s dependency on rice imports, thereby alleviating pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
During the payment ceremony, Dr. Abanga expressed his profound appreciation to the local leadership, landowners, and community members for entrusting their land to the Abanga Group. He emphasized that the payment of surface rent reflects the Group’s unwavering commitment to adhering to the legal frameworks of Sierra Leone, as well as fostering long-term partnerships with the local community.
He further urged the community to embrace and take ownership of the project, which promises numerous opportunities and economic benefits for the people of Mambolo Chiefdom and Kambia District, while also supporting the government’s FEED-SALONE agenda. Dr. Abanga extended his gratitude to the Minister of Agriculture for the Sierra Leonean government’s continued support since the Group’s entry into the country.
Paramount Chief Bai Shebora Lion II of Mambolo Chiefdom praised Abanga Group for fulfilling its obligations to the landowners, acknowledging the tremendous support and commitment exhibited by the Group. He pledged his continued support for the project’s objective of revolutionizing rice cultivation through technology and mechanization, which promises to uplift local farming communities.
Abanga Group and its partners, including MEDA, have engaged extensively with government officials and agencies, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, as well as private agro-enterprises, to ensure the success of their large-scale agricultural initiatives in Sierra Leone.
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