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By: Josiah Pailay/ +231-881913880/+231-775260307/ [email protected]
The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Office of Bong County Superintendent, has officially inaugurated the harvest of a lowland rice farm located in Gbaylaykpala, Jorquelleh District Three, Bong County.
This initiative was carried out by the Rice, Cassava, and Vegetables Producers and Processors Union of Liberia, a local farming cooperative established by Christ’s Vision International Ministries in the county.
The cooperative is dedicated to improving agricultural productivity and food security in Bong County, and by extension, the entire country of Liberia.
Addressing a team of reporters following the launch of the harvest, Mr. Moses Gbanyan, the Deputy Minister for Regional Development and Extension at the Ministry of Agriculture, expressed his gratitude to the cooperative members for effectively utilizing the support provided by the Ministry, with assistance from IFAD.
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to equipping local farmers with major agricultural tools and resources.
Mr. Gbanyan also disclosed plans to supply farmers with power tillers, tractors, and other essential farming equipment to enhance productivity, particularly for rice farmers.
Mr. Gbanyan said he is personally committed to empowering local farmers to produce sufficient food for Liberia, stating that the Ministry, under the leadership of President Joseph Boakai, aims to reduce Liberia’s rice imports by 70 to 80% within the next three years.
However, he stressed that achieving this ambitious goal will depend heavily on the willingness of farmers to actively engage in the agricultural process.
“The Government is supporting lowland farmers and grassroots Cooperatives to improve Rice Production in Liberia” he stated.
“Let’s go back to the soil and grow our own food, the President’s hope is for all Liberians return to back to the soils and grow what we eat as Liberians the Deputy Minister for Regional Development, Research & Extension told Agriculture Journalist”.
In her remarks, Bong County Superintendent Madam Hawa Lolyah Norris expressed her excitement about the cooperative’s progress and urged the citizens of Bong County to reclaim the county’s historical status as one of Liberia’s key breadbaskets.
She called on all residents to put aside their differences and unite for the common cause of revamping agriculture in the region.
Madam Norris also pointed out the importance of agriculture in national development, encouraging local churches and mosques to follow the example set by Christ’s Vision International Ministries in Gbarnga by actively participating in similar agricultural initiatives.
“Rev Paye you are truly doing well, I am very proud to be part of the holistic harvest day, it’s about time other Churches in Bong County do the same and curtail the importation of food into our communities” Madam Norris added.
Rev. James Paye, founder and overseer of Christ’s Vision International Ministries and the Executive Director of the cooperative, urged all Liberians to embrace farming as a pathway to economic growth and development.
Rev. Paye reiterated that the cooperative seeks to unify various farming groups to boost food production throughout Liberia, reinforcing the idea that agricultural development is key to the country’s future.
He thanked the Ministry of Agriculture and its partners for their support, noting that through IFAD, farming tools including a power tiller, boots, cutlasses, and some cash were made available to the cooperative.
The inauguration of this rice harvest supports the Boakai-Koung administration’s ARREST agenda, a key pillar of President Joseph Boakai’s campaign promises.
The initiative is intended to reduce Liberia’s dependence on rice imports by increasing domestic production of the staple crop.
Despite the vast fertile land in Liberia, rice, the country’s staple food, continues to be imported in large quantities, a challenge the Ministry of Agriculture is determined to address through such projects.
“Indeed it’s a new Liberia, we are grateful for the support we are getting from the Boakai-Koung’s Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, and our dream is to do more and provide short-term job opportunities for Members” Rev Paye stated.
The farm covers 9.6 hectares, equivalent to 24 acres of land. The rice variety cultivated is a three-month crop. The launch event took place on Friday, October 4, 2024, on the outskirts of Gbaylaykpala.
