BY ALEX M. VANDY.
Born in her 70s, lives with her supportive husband in Kenema City. The hardworking Haja Mary Betty Sandy started nursing in her 20s and went on to do general nursing and later midwifery mentorship.
Today, Haja Mary Betty Sandy has over 30 acres of farmland in Kenema District, turning subsistence farming into large-scale mechanized farming, hence ensuring she contributes immensely to President Bio’s second flagship program, “Feed Salone”.
“During my formative years, I was raised by my parents of blessed memory who were both farmers, I hated farming, all I wanted was to become a nurse and help the sick recover in my little way”.
Today, Haja Mary Betty Sandy is the brain behind one of the largest Farm produce in kenema district, THE AMULOMA RICE, CASAVA & VEGETABLES PRODUCTION FARMERS FEDERATION. Since the pronouncement of President Bio’s “Feed Salone” flagship program, Mrs. Mary Betty Sandy has demonstrated unwavering commitment towards the success of food self-sufficiency in Sierra Leone by establishing over 30 acres of rice farms in the kenema district.
This, she passionately stated is just a token start of the large-scale farming she will be embarking on in the next 10 years. Recalling her formative days, when she had to spend most of the time on her parents’ farm, plowing the fields with her parents, farming was the least she could think of after she retired as a nurse. It’s however safe to say that it has been a usual journey for the 65-year-old retired nurse who has now engaged in large-scale rice farming and entrepreneurship.
Agriculture accounts for almost half of Sierra Leone’s Gross Domestic Products.
60% of the nation’s population works in the agricultural sector and the majority of them are women.
“This country has 396 Agricultural Business Centres, but none has positively impacted real farmers like us. If only large-scale agricultural activities were priorities by the previous government, we would not be depending on imported rice, being the nation’s stable food. She extended thanks and appreciation to H.E Rtd Brig. Julius Maada Bio for his firm pronouncement of agriculture, as his flagship program, believes that, as a nation, we will be able to grow rice and many other products without depending on sister nations.
As part of the President’s plans to boost the agricultural sector and diversify the economy, President Julius Maada Bio has encouraged citizens to embark on farming, stating that, agricultural activities transform a nation into a self-sufficient nation.
Haja Mary Betty Sandy stated that their aim as farmers is not to score any political point, rather, decided to embark on large-scale farming to help the government of Sierra Leone achieve its second flagship program, under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio
Haja Mary Betty Sandy therefore calls on fellow Sierra Leonean women at home and abroad to rise from their comfort zones and embark fully on agricultural activities. She strongly believes that women’s empowerment can best be realized through engagement in agriculture. Stating that women are focal players in the economic development of the land that we all love – Sierra Leone.
