The European Union Funded and FINIC Consortium Built Palm Oil Mill Changing Lives in Bonthe District.
The European Union is hugely contributing to the socioeconomic development of Sierra Leone not least through the funding of projects that will unleash the power of innovation and appropriate technologies across Districts of Sierra Leone.
FINIC (Fomel Industry and National Industrialization Centre) being a technology generation entity, was one of those lead applicants for the implementation of a project aimed at boosting the production and processing of the oil palm produce by using innovative ways and appropriate technologies.
FINIC headed a consortium comprising of 2 community based organizations (CFADA and JAS) and was accorded funding for the implementation of a project designed to boost the production and processing of the oil palm produce in 3 Districts of Sierra Leone – Bonthe, Moyamba and Tonkolili under the purview of BAFS (Boosting Agriculture and Food Security) jointly guided by the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Authorizing Office with an overall objective of reducing povery and food insecurity. The Eropean Union being the grantor.
Among the highlights of the project is the construction and equipment of a 1 ton per hour palm oil mill in each of those Districts. The expected palm oil extraction/processing in a day of 10 hours for each of those mills is1,800 liters (9 barels each of 200 liters).
Beneficiaries of the Senehun community in the suburb of Matru, Bonthe District are beginning to get the sweet taste of the European Union development contribution to Sierra Leone in the oil palm sector. They are part of those enjoying the generality of the European Union’s contribution to the socioeconomic development of Sierra Leone. We are living witnesses to the inauguration this year (2022) of 2 highly important bridges linking Western Area to the Northern and Southern regions of the country.
The drudgery ridden method the Senehun community were traditionally accustomed to, is now considered by them obsolete. FINIC designed and manufactured palm oil equipment are now taking centre stage as they are proving higly effective and putting smiles on the faces of the Senehun beneficiaries.
Striping fruits from the bunches using axe or machete, using feet to macerate boiled fruits and dangerous use of sterilizers and oil clarifiers, is now behind them. They are now dignified labouring persons with greater propensity to reduce or eliminate post-harvest losses and spoilage.
After the conduct of training on the operation of the FINIC made machines, a cross section of the beneficiaries were in jubilant mood demonstrated by songs of praises for the European Union and for the exemplary performance of the equipment.
In this project, the European Union has capacited FINIC to generate and develop more technologies that are hugely contributing to the livelihoods of rural youths. The manual palm fruits digester branded Moneh Don (Poverty Over), the thresher and the newly invented vertical palm oil press capable of pressing 1.5 tons of loose fruits in an hour, are just parts of the wide range of those technologies FINIC has developed for palm oil processing.
Today, young welders/technicians in every town in Sierra Leone are fabricating the manual palm fruits digester branded Moneh Don (Poverty Over) creating employment for themselves and thousands of other persons in the oil palm value chain. FINIC is aware that it is an infringement on its intellectual property (IP) right but the joy of seeing young persons gainfully employed surpasses, for now, the attachment to IP right. FINIC contributing so much to youths employment, we expect the reciprocal from the Government through patronage and funding for more research.
As I strike the keys typing this article today
(11. 09. 22), the FINIC Ghana Team boss is in Nigeria – Umunevo Amagunze . Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria – installing palm oil mill equipment. 2 others await him for installation in Port Harcut and Oyo State.
Nigerians and Ghanaians have great love for FINIC Technologies and the romance is getting deeper.
The people of Sierra Leone including FINIC remain grateful to the European Union.
Attached are pictures and Youtube links of videos showing the equipment in operation.
FINIC IS GOOD FOR AFRICA !
For further Information, contact us at:
In Sierra Leone, us by whatsapp at +232-76-601956
Email: finicone@yahoo.com
In Ghana, Accra, call us by whatsapp at +233 26 400 0480
Email: finicghana@gmail.com
In Nigeria, Abuja, reach us through +234-805-1164-428
