By Alex Yomah
FAO’s Country Representative to Liberia says, the real evidence shows that Liberia’s greatest potential lies in its agricultural sector in the country.
Madam Mariatou Njie asserted further that the prospects for job creation, the sector’s contribution to GDP, untapped ecological endowment to leverage, and a young and vibrant population immensely eager and ready to exploit the right opportunities thereof.
According to her, this means that Liberia has all it takes to change its narratives amongst the comity of nations, most important of all, a vibrant human resource and a natural endowment.
She emphasized that more than ever before, now is the time for Liberia to engage, collaborate, and build partnerships toward the creation of an enabling environment to facilitate inclusive development.
“Agriculture diplomacy is certainly a key recipe to doing so. You, and many more to follow, as agriculture-diplomats, should use the sectorial potential already acknowledged to initiate and negotiate innovative financing mechanisms from sources tied to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts through sustainable use and management of the environment, marine ecosystem and related natural resources for production, value addition, marketing, consumption and even waste management,” she noted.
FAO declared further that you can rely on Liberia’s efforts to conserve a minimal of 30% of the forest – which forms the critical mass of Upper Guinean biome – and enhance biodiversity to explore opportunities and make exploits towards strengthening the agri-food system and repositioning it as the real engine for economic growth and sustainable development.
“I see untapped opportunities to rebrand this nation towards inclusive economic development and social progress. Compare to other parts of the world, the population is young and energetic, the arable land lies in abundance, and the policy environment for inclusive development is well developed and elaborate,” FAO Country Rep. stated.
Speaking to the graduates, she said, “My dear graduates, with these available opportunities, the onus is on you to challenge yourselves and to drive paradigm shift in the diplomatic history of Liberia, and that new thinking is nothing else but agricultural diplomacy approach being practiced by very powerful and influential nations in the world today,” he said.
“Agricultural diplomats play a crucial role in keeping their economy strong by helping bring their agricultural businesses to international markets,” she noted.
“With Agricultural Diplomacy which could be seen as a branch-off of development diplomacy, there is an extraordinary potential for this nation to rediscover itself, promote Liberia’s agricultural products in getting to foreign markets, and at dining tables far beyond the borders of this land,” she stated further.
“This means that agriculture diplomats are not ‘Armchair state actors’; they can potentially contribute to economic growth, ensure poverty reduction and promote trade in agricultural products through market intelligence and facilitating markets access far beyond the commerce of Liberia,” she intimated.
“I certainly believe that no one can do this better than you; for in you, I see the hope of an emerging community of career diplomats, immensely versatile, well prepared, and absolutely determined to lead the way to a better tomorrow. Yes, I believe in you,” she envisaged.