The Booker Washington Institute (BWI)’s transformation in Kakata, Margibi County has received a major boost.
BWI has commissioned its food hub with the introduction of irrigation, a new technology which enhances farming activities was held over the weekend on the campus.
Speaking prior to the commissioning and cutting of the ribbon to roll out the project, the Minister of Agriculture (MOA), Jeanine Cooper commended the administration of the BWI in partnership with the Booker Washington Institute National Alumni Association of North America (BWINAANA) and others for successfully bringing the technology into the country and funding the project.
She said that she is delighted for the project because it is a new technology that is relevant when it comes to the application of contemporary agricultural concept that increases productivities saying that BWI will be used as a hub where trainings including research will be conducted as well as other new agricultural innovations.
According to her, the administration of President George Weah attaches great importance to agriculture and as such, the government will support and expand the project to every Technical Vocational Educational Training Institution (TVET) in the country where agriculture forms part of their curriculum.
Minister Cooper however maintained that more interventions need to be carried out in agriculture relative to training and other agricultural activities; therefore she is calling for collaborative effort among stakeholders aimed at realizing the targeted goals relating to the sector and lauded development partners for their support.
The Principal/Executive Officer (EO) of the BWI, Attorney Harris Fomba Tarnue said that the Food Hub Project is essential because it addresses the issue of irrigation which is a major challenge for farmers due to the fact that water becomes scarce on the farms during the dry season that negatively affects production.
He disclosed further that the cost of the project is US$25,000 and is being funded by the BWINAANA and the BWI Administration adding that the association provided US$20,000 while his administration provided US5,000 and that the project is intended to make water available on the their agricultural farms throughout the year which will improve production as well as practical training for students.
“We are using 16 pieces of solar panels that are mounted on the roof of the farm house which feed into the batteries by means of solar energy that have solar pump connected to a 120-foot dug water well and it pumps the water into the poly tanks that are used to sufficiently water the crops through the openings of another pipes,” he explained.
Principal Tarnue further stated that the innovation is a pilot project in its first phase and that they have plans to include food processing and preservation, stressing that it is cardinal to making fresh fruits, vegetables along with other produce available by storing them in big freezers on the farm so that consumers can purchase at any time of the year.
According to him, they have a strong agricultural program so that the new technology is an added knowledge to the ones that the students are acquiring at the school as they have cultivated 25 acres of land with variety of crops like okra, pepper including corn, potatoes with ground nuts amongst others as some of the water melons were harvested and sold to the guests who graced the ceremony.
“The new technology will make our training stronger and enhance our graduates for them to become entrepreneurs by establishing their own little farms or be able to support other big farms,” he indicated.
The President of BWINAANA, Eric Harris stated that members of the association prioritize the transformation of their alma mater, and as such, they are always prepared to support programs that are geared toward achieving that goal.
He divulged that pursuant to that assertion, the association has been working with the schools’ administrations purposely to help provide some of its basic needs over the years as he praised the BWI Family for upholding the mission and vision of its founder.
Mr. Harris noted that BWI being the oldest TVET Institution in the country deserves the necessary support so that it moves to another level and on behalf of his colleagues assured the administration of their continuous support.
The Minister of Youth & Sports (MYS), D. Zeogar Wilson described the new technology as a dream because the MYS is presently running some agricultural training centers for the youths of the country indicating that the Youths Agricultural Training Center in Bensonville will be transformed into a rehabilitation training center for the disadvantaged youths.
So, as he envisages the replication of the project at various agricultural training centers will infuse new dynamism in their training methodology like Klay, Tumutu among others.
The Minister of MYS assured the Minister of MOA who he referred to as the captain on agriculture in the cabinet of President Weah’s Government of his support in order to achieve the goal of his government.
For their part, the Chairman of the Board of Governors/BWI, Jackson J. Paye averred that the project is a significant factor to help farmers increase their yield because it addresses the challenges that retard their progress.
He explained that their vision at BWI was to establish a self-contained food hub so that the project will provide the means for them to realize; owing to its integrated nature.
“When I visited a farm in Bellville, Maryland, USA years back, I was impressed with this new technology that they were using as regards to the production, storage including preservation and marketing of the produce,” he recalled.
Governor Paye is of the strong belief that if farmers’ market is established at BWI, it will undoubtedly provide hands on training for students while Dr. Akintao of Africa Rice admitted that the project is a solution to getting water at all times saying, “ It’s the surest way of fighting hunger.”
Dr. Akintao who is implementing the Integrated Rice Project and Fishery funded by the World Bank and the UNDP, promised to join in promoting the project.
The Chairperson of the National Elections (NEC), is in Cotonou, Benin to attend a 3-day workshop on sharing of experience of Constitutional Court within the West African Region.
NEC-Liberia Boss, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah, will participate in the first meeting of Jurisdictions in charge of Electoral Disputes, organized by the ECOWAS Commission of West Africa.
The NEC-Liberia Boss will participate in the Cotonou workshop that seeks to create a forum to bring together Heads of the Constitutional Courts of the region to discuss electoral, and adjudication matters, as constitutional courts in the region are enriched with methods and tools to prevent political and electoral crisis.
A NEC statement quotes a dispatch from Abuja, Nigeria, from the office of the Commissioner General for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Francis A. Behazin saying, the workshop is in line with article 1 (a/b), of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance signed by member states in 2001.
The NEC statement issued on Monday, 6 June 2022 said, the protocol speaks of the basis that all member states of texts and laws should organize periodic elections to choose their respective leaders.
The ECOWAS protocol under article 7 provides the need for adequate arrangements to be made to hear and dispose of all petitions relating to the conduct of elections and announcements of results by all member states.
