By Moses Kpakolo
Monrovia–The mantra that the University of Liberia is the mirror of the Liberian society appears to be taking shape, with the relaunch of the institution’s farm.
Dubbed, “University of Liberia Farm Project”, the farm will serve as a model for the country’s new agriculture development system while at the same time providing agriculture students at the institution the practical knowledge they need in the field of agriculture.
The latest effort of the University, which is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, is geared towards restoring the pre-war status of the institution under the William Richard Tolbert College of Agriculture and Forestry when the college served as home to some of West Africa’s reputable agriculture development organizations, including the West Africa Rice Development Agency (WARDA).
The initiative, which was launched 14 March 2024 at the U-L’s Fendell campus outside Monrovia also serves as the flagship venture of Liberia’s new Agriculture Minister, Alexander Nuetah. During his recent confirmation hearing, he told the Senate that reviving the state-owned University’s farm is one of his priorities. Agriculture Minister Designate Promises To Adequately Manage, Enhance Productivity… – News Public Trust
“I want to make sure, through the president’s mandate that everything about agriculture in this country, we have a model here (University of Liberia)”, says Minister Nuetah.
The new Agriculture Minister’s statement underscoring the urgent need for the UL Agriculture College to spearhead a major farming project followed concerns raised by students studying Agriculture that the absence of an active farming project was denying them of practical exposure to their field of study. And their craving for practicum goes as far back as 2022 UL Agriculture College Students Longing For An Active Farming Program – News Public Trust
Minister Nuetah told the gathering at the launching exercise that the ministry is working on the national agriculture development plan for the next five years as a guidance towards the revamping of agriculture sector, which is expected to see the University’s farm as a vital partner to guineapig the plan.
As a way of fostering the reactivation of the farm, the ministry through the Smallholder Agriculture Development for Food and Nutrition Security Program, SADFONS, donated two tractors, four power tillers, two water pumps and over ten different vegetable seeds.
SANDFONS is an estimated US$ ten Million USD Global Agriculture and Food Security Program of the World Bank Group implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture in eight counties including Bomi, Montserrado, River Gee, Grand Bassa, Maryland, Grand Gedeh, Bong and Margibi.
The Dean of the William Richard Tolbert College of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Liberia, Prof. Leroy Cegbe says the project has rebirthed the prewar image of the college.
“Before the war, all the sessions in this college, including the animal, crop and soil sessions were fully equipped with the necessary tools, and since we came back from the war, we have been fighting hard to rejuvenate these things that we use to train our men and women,” Dean Cegbe stated. This project, as it stands has come to rejuvenate the dead cells of this college so that we can be able again to impact knowledge adequately to the students at the University of Liberia, through the college of agriculture”, he added.
The UL College of Agriculture Dean further encouraged the Agriculture Ministry and would be partners of the college to aid the college in fully restoring its prewar status, stressing that it is a disservice for students at the college to graduate without practical knowledge.
For his part, University of Liberia President, Pro. Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson Jr. lauded the Ministry of Agriculture and partners for the gesture.
Dr. Nelson expressed hope that the collaboration between the University of Liberia and the Ministry of Agriculture will grow in the interest of the country