By Emmanuel Mafelah, mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
The Central Agriculture Research Institute (CARI) in Liberia’s central Bong County shortly begins implementing a project to establish National Cocoa seed garden and supply of quality seeds to farmers across the country, Director General Dr. Marcus Jones has disclosed.
Dr. Jones said CARI will also shortly begin implementing another project aimed at improving Agriculture Resilience to Salinity through Development and promotion of Pro-Poor technologies and International Fund for Agriculture.
The CARI Director General has assured citizens of the County and its surrounding that much will be done under his stewardship as Director General of institute.
Agriculture Development project, which seeks to establish National Cocoa seed garden and supply of quality seeds to farmers across the country.
Recently, Dr. Jones visited the North Dakota State University in the United States of America.
On his return home, the CARI boss said his visit was meant to strengthen an already mutual good relations aimed at promoting cooperation between Liberia and United States of America.
“CARI and the Ministry of Agriculture and North Dakota State University will jointly develop and implement activities to improve their capacities to serve their respective constituencies in Liberia and the United States of America,” Dr. Jones said.
Hs visit yielded the signing of a multilateral linkage between the Ministry of Agriculture Liberia, the Central Agriculture Research Institute and North Dakota State University.
According to the CARI Director General, the linkage focuses on the development and advancement of Agriculture between the two Countries.
It has been developed based upon the institutions commonality of interests and their beliefs that linkages between them would strengthen their joint and individual capacities.
Dr. Jones revealed that the objective of the linkage is to develop long-term cooperative in sharing knowledge, collaborative research and education programs, exchange and professional development programs for students. It will also include staff, faculty, farmers and agri-business and professionals cultural exchange through mutual assistance in the areas of education.
In addition, he said research and agriculture production and processing as well as sharing new technologies and new method of management through extension and other programs.
The partnership will also seek funding opportunities for joint activities which provide mutual benefit to each institution’s teaching, research and outreach programs.
Dr. Jones said Liberia’s Agriculture Minister Dr. Mogana Flomo Jr. signed for the government of Liberia, while he (Dr. Marcus Jones) signed on behalf of CARI and Dean L. Bresciani, President of North Dakota States University signed on behalf of the University.