PHOTO: Members women farmers cooperatives in Foyah District, Lofa County
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Liberia has handed over twenty-four pieces of farm machineries to eight women farmers cooperatives in Foya, Lofa County.
Presenting the farm machineries to the Deputy Agriculture Minister for Extension and Research, the International Project Coordinator of FAO in Liberia, Mariatou Dagnoko said the presentation is the beginning of handing over of farm machines to farmers in the four targeted counties of the United Arab Emirates Aid funded project being implemented by UN FAO in Liberia.
“The project is titled ‘Promoting Increased Resilience and Sustainable Income Generation, Food Security and Nutrition in the Republic of Liberia.
It seeks to reduce farm labour and empower women in four counties, (Bong, Nimba, Gbarpolu and Lofa) to increase vegetables, fish farming and rice productions.
The project is aided to increase farmers resilience, income generation, food and nutrition security in Liberia’’remarked FAO Project Coordinator as she turned over the farm machineries to the Deputy Agriculture Minister for Research and Extension, Dr. George Tee Forpoh.
Passing onto the farm machineries to the Internal Affairs Minister for onwards presentation onto farmers on behalf of the President of Liberia, Dr. Forpoh applauded the United Arab Emirates Aid and the FAO in their efforts to changing the face of agriculture in Liberia by supporting farmers with modern farm machines.
Also speaking, Agriculture Minister, Jeanine Cooper, said the ministry appreciates the efforts of the donor and support of the Food and Agriculture Organization in boasting agriculture especially rural women in country.
Presenting the 24 pieces of farm machineries to the farmers, the Internal Affairs Minister, Varney Sirleaf stated that President George Manneh Weah in 2019 visited and implored the Kingdom of the United Arab Emirate for support to Liberia.
In UAE’s response, the agriculture sector was identified, and funds provided through the FAO to support our farmers with farming inputs, technicsand machines to increase productivity and income generation.
He applauded the efforts of President Weah for making such appeal on behalf of Liberian farmers.
The Internal Affair Minister alsoappealed to FAO to continue to support farmers with the farm technology, adding that the support should not be one-off to ensure farmers adapt and are able to run with the modern farm machines which wouldhelp the farmers to reduce poverty,
“Please continue to support communal farming to enhance reconciliation and to consolidate peace,” he said.
He urged the farmers to make good use of the farm machines for the intended purpose to increase their areas of cultivation and production. In his conclusion, he warned the farmers that both his ministry and the Agriculture Ministry will be conducting joint monitoring to see how these farm machines are being utilized by the farmers.
The International Project Coordinator – FAO (left), Deputy Minister MOA – (center) & Internal Affairs Minister – (right)
In response, the Chairlady of the Maryouh River Women Initiative, Tawah Blama on behalf of beneficiaries: farmers’ cooperatives expressed profound thanks and appreciations to the United Arab Emirates Aid and the FAO.
She also thanked President George Weah for his personate appeal for support to farmers and assured that they will work harder to increase their yields.
She concluded with a strong and urgent appeal for financial support from the government of Liberia especially through the Agriculture and Internal Affairs Ministries.
With financial support, she added that women farmers, will be able to hire additional labour, buy more farming inputs to support farming activities in time, increase cultivation and hence improve farm productivity in Liberia.