By Edwin M. Fayia, III
A Liberian Accountant, Alexander T.M. Siafa, a resident of Freetown Community of Brewerville and owner of ten plots of swamp land planted for a 90-day period has produced several bags of high quality rice.
In an exclusive interview with www.newspublictrust.com over the weekend, the Accountant-turned Peri-urban farmer at Moulton Corner where the swamp land is situated, pointing out that the second phase of his food security drive will shortly begin. He will be planting of variety of vegetables such as okra, cucumber, garden eggs, bitter balls and potato green during the course of the Dry Season.
Mr. Siafa was however quick to point out that periurban farm initiative is being exclusively funded by him and would highly and greatly appreciate the swift interventions of donor and aid agencies especially the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
He also recalled that during the height and relative peace during the crisis in Liberia, the FAO and other generous support partners came to the rescue of hundreds of periurban farmers in Monrovia and several rural settlements of Montserrado County.
“I would greatly accept such generous assistance from all the current donor, aid agencies and nongovernmental organizations that are still helping periurban and rural farmers in our country,” Mr. Siafa pleaded.
Over the years, Mr. Siafa intimated that the issue of periurban support to ensure food security for the urban population growing every year, such cannot be overstressed and therefore, the farming initiative needs support from related donor institutions and the UN agencies in the country.
He further noted that with hundreds of undeveloped swamp land in Monrovia and some of the areas in Montserrado County that are covered with swamp land.
Asked what specific assistance needed from aid agencies, especially the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Mr. Siafa named power tillers, wheelbarrows, shovels and diggers and fertilizer as well as chemicals in order to increase production.
He also disclosed that there is a plan afoot to use the upland overlooking the swamp land to plant cassava, potatoes, eddoes and pumpkin.
Mr. Siafa urged Liberians, especially urban dwellers, to consider periurban agriculture as one of the ways to fight urban food insecurity and dismiss the notions held in many quarters that urban farming cannot yield genuine results.
Accountant Siafa also underscored the need for the Ministry of Agriculture to reactivate the pre-war technical and extension services to all periurban and rural farmers in a bid to enhance the massive production of the nation staple diet rice.
He also stressed the need for Liberians especially periurban and rural farmers to prioritize agriculture as the best bank that Liberians should embrace as it will ensure peace, stability and socioeconomic development and progress in the country.
In addition, Mr. Siafa noted and argued that though the imported rice is on the Liberian market but, the most demanding commodity is very expensive for ordinary of low income earners in the country.
“Engage, encourage and support self-started and supported periurban and rural farmers to sell their produce and cash crops for fair and profitable prices in order to boost production and extension of existing farms in all parts of our country,” Mr. Siafa admonished government and Liberia’s development partners.