By Augustine Octavius
There has been a reduction in the chronic malnutrition rates among children under five in Liberia from critical to serious, an official of an international NGO working in Monrovia has said.
The Acting Country Manager of the Welt Hunger Hile, Charles Marina, quoted a survey conducted by the WHO as saying that six out of the 15 counties still have critical levels of chronic malnutrition
Mr. Marina made the disclosure when he spoke at the official launch of the European Union financed project known as the Prosperous Agriculture Roadmap to Nutrition and Entrepreneurship in Monrovia Wednesday.
He added that there is a need to spark productive value chains for key crops that have the potential to create business for farmers, increase their incomes and provide food even in the times of crisis for the population in the country.
The head of the European delegation to Liberia, Ambassador Helen Cave, said it is difficult to understand that Liberia still remains dependent taking the climatic and geographical situation.
She added that food insecurity affects 16 percent of the population and two percent is forced to meet food security through emergency coping strategies such as begging.
The EU Ambassador stressed the need to focus food value chain especially targeting food security and nutrition aimed at improving the lives of ordinary people.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister, Mogana Flomo, said the lack of food and nutrition in most household can be linked to the failure of the country to adequately grow the needed food.
He pointed out that factors such as poor extension services, low technical capacity of agricultural staff and post harvest challenges for farmers , as well as limited logistics and equipment for efficiency in delivery of services to field level are major contributing factors to poor food security.
Additionally , he went on : “limited access to finance and market, poor farm to market roads , agricultural research capacities have led to food insecurity and malnutrition. “
The project, which is value 14.4 million United States Dollars, will be implemented in Grand Cape Mount, Montserrado and Grand Bassa Counties.
Others are Rivercess, Sinoe Grand Kru and Maryland Counties.
The program, which was graced by a cross session of people from the agricultural sector and diplomatic corps, ended with display of agricultural products with value chain added by putting them in bags, bottle and packs.
Some of the products include cassava, cassava peelings, groundnuts, oil, among others.