University Secretariat, Njala Campus– 2nd July 2025– Njala University has on Tuesday graduated 174 young people trained in tractor mechanization under the second cohort of the ENABLE Youth-SLARiS programme.
The event, held at the Njala Campus Auditorium, brought together key stakeholders, including the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, and the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Njala University, Alhaji Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma.
The University, in partnership with SLARiS and the Ministry of Agriculture, also awarded over 2 million new Leones in grants to 30 agribusiness groups. Of these, 12 are led by women.
Agriculture Minister, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka described the graduation as a “milestone and catalytic” event in the government’s Feed Salone initiative. He praised Njala University’s role as a technical front-liner in advancing youth-led mechanization across the country.
“Today, we graduate 174 youth—including 47 women—from seven districts. These are not just drivers; they are trained to diagnose, repair, and maintain tractors, and more importantly, to build agribusinesses that will feed the nation,” he stated.
Highlighting President Bio’s vision for self-sufficiency in food production, Minister Kpaka emphasized that mechanization, youth participation, and entrepreneurship were central to agricultural transformation.
He acknowledged the critical role of development partners like the African Development Bank, calling the ENABLE project a model of “small money, big effect.”
The Minister encouraged the graduates to use their training as a launchpad for entrepreneurship. “Government can’t give everyone office jobs, but we can equip you to create your own,” he said. “This is the start of something big.”
The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Njala University, Alhaji Professor Koroma, challenged the youth to take the lead in transforming agriculture. He urged them not to treat their certificates as decorations but to put their skills to work.
Professor Koroma called for stronger collaboration between the university and the ministry to rebrand agriculture as a business. “Let’s stop calling it agriculture. Let’s call it farming enterprise,” he said, pushing for a new model focused on innovation and impact.
© Public Relations Unit, Njala University
