Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) Promote informed journalism and public engagement on agricultural and environmental nalists Network (LAEJN)
Story By: Darlington Porkpa/[email protected]/+231770127075
Concern Worldwide Liberia, a leading international development organization dedicated to reducing poverty and improving the lives of the world’s poorest people in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and other partners recently hosted its annual Agriculture Fair in Liberia. The event, which took place in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, aimed to promote sustainable agriculture practices, empower local farmers, and foster community development.
The Agriculture Fair served as a platform for farmers, agricultural experts, government officials, and other stakeholders to come together to exchange knowledge, showcase innovations, and discuss strategies for enhancing agricultural productivity and food security in Liberia.
One of the highlights of the fair was the exhibition of various agricultural products, including crops, livestock, and agro-processing techniques. Farmers had the opportunity to display their produce and value-added products, demonstrating the diversity and potential of Liberia’s agricultural sector.
The Agriculture Fair facilitated networking opportunities for participants to forge partnerships, access resources, and explore market linkages. Concern Worldwide Liberia’s quest for the Annual Agriculture Fair to strengthen the agricultural value chain promotes entrepreneurship and contributes to poverty reduction and economic development in Liberia.
Speaking at the annual agriculture fair in Buchanan, Deputy Agriculture Minister for Technical Services Hedd Williams lauded Concern Worldwide for galvanizing the agricultural community. Minister Williams, in a strong show of support, emphasized the indispensable role of local farmers in propelling the sector towards sustainability and growth.
He reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to fortifying the agricultural domain, urging farmers to prioritize food production self-sufficiency for nutritional and economic gains.
Minister Williams mentioned the government’s visionary plan to transition from conventional farming methods to mechanized agriculture, a cornerstone of the proposed six-year National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP).
Under the theme, “Grow Local and Eat Local”, the fair aimed to ensure market linkages between farmers, buyers, and other relevant value chain stakeholders at the local and national levels. It brought together more than 250 smallholder farmers from Grand Bassa and Rivercess counties.
The initiative is under the Livelihoods, Innovation Food Security and Entrepreneur (LIFE) program. LIFE is a 5-year project being implemented by Concern Worldwide to increase agricultural production and processing, strengthen village savings and loan association (VSLA) groups, and improve the market systems for diverse nutritious foods
