By Allen P. Lablah in Sanniquellie lallenpaye@yahoo.com
The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Agriculture has donated two power tillers to the Dorkodan Farmers Cooperative Society in Gbedin Camp three, in Liberia’s northeastern Nimba County.
A power tiller is basically a set of blades (called tines) that are mounted within a wheeled housing and are powered by either a gasoline engine or an electric motor, which is used to prepare the soil for planting..
Speaking at the donation ceremony this week, Agriculture Minister Dr. Mogana Flomo Jr. said the power Tillers were given to speed up the work of the Farmers Cooperative.
Minister Flomo said President George M. Weah is interested in changing the lives of the ordinary people of Liberia.
“The Pro-poor government is ready to work with farmers to ensure that Liberians grow what they eat,” the country’s Agriculture Minister added.
Dr. Flomo maintains that he is so much impressed with the level of agricultural activities being implemented by the Dorkodan Farmers Cooperative Society. ‘’I am please to congratulate farmers in Gbedin Camp three for their hard work in growing rice’’ he added.
He further urged the cooperative to ensure the maintenance of the Power tillers.
The Liberia Agriculture Minister donation was followed by a field toured at various swamp sites where Dorkodan Farmers Cooperative Society operates in Gbedin Camp three, Nimba County. In Dr. Flomo field toured he committed his commitment in supporting Dorkodan as he heads the agriculture ministry.
Nimba County District Number 2 Representative Prince O.S Tokpah, Chairman of the House Representatives Agriculture Committee, admonished Dorkodan Farmers Cooperative Society and community leaders to vigorously prioritize agriculture, in order to be self-sufficient.
Rep. Tokpah stressed that if hunger will end in Liberia, Liberians should transform their actions to end hunger through investing in the soil at the community and national levels.
Accepting the donation of Power Tillers, the Chairman of the Dorkodan Farmers Cooperative Jefferson Tokpah assured the government that the equipment will be used with care.
He said that with power Tillers, Tractors and other modern Agricultural equipment, his cooperative is prepared to feed Nimba and Liberia.
The Dorkkodan Farmer cooperation in Gbaiden Town was established in the 70’s to unify farmers in the production of vegetables.
Its key goal is bridge the food gap, in the region. Over the past decades, the farmers in this cooperative have been heavily engaged in production of rice, corn, among other crops.