The Liberian Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), has announced plans to develop 2,000 hectares of land in Bong Mines, Fuamah District, Bong County, emphasizing the importance of agriculture and government’s commitment to supporting local farmers in Liberia.
The initiative is part of the government’s developmental Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation and Tourisms (ARREST) agenda, aimed to boost agricultural production and increase food security in the country.
Agriculture Minister, Alexander Nuetah, unveiled the government’s plans during a recent visit to Bong Mines, where he officially relaunched the Fuamah District Multipurpose Cooperative Society (FDMCS).
The 2,000 hectares of land to be developed, are owned by the FDMCS located in the Fuamah District, a region known for its fertile soil and favorable climate for agriculture, as the land will also be used for cultivating a variety of crops, including rice, cassava, and vegetables.
The FDMCS is a cooperative with over 986 members, and a beneficiary of a grant intervention by the MoA and partners under its Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR- P), and Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP).
STAR-P and RETRAP are supported by the World Bank (WB) and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), as through this collaboration, farmers in Bong and other counties have witnessed remarkable improvements in their livelihoods.
With funding from IFAD, the STAR Project is focused on providing agricultural financing, institutional capacity building, enabling environment for farmers, agribusinesses, state and non-state actors, as well as enhancing productivity and competitiveness.
Meanwhile, the RETRAP project, also funded by the WB, seeks to develop or enhance competitiveness and market access through productive alliances, as well as strengthening Agri-marketing and engaging in road infrastructure investments.
Both STAR-P and RETRAP are being implemented across the 15 counties with a combined target of 98,000 beneficiaries in the cassava, oil palm, rice, rubber, piggery, poultry, and vegetable and rice value chains.
One of the key focuses has been on providing farmers with access to quality seeds, modern farming techniques, and necessary resources, equipping them with the right tools and knowledge, aimed to optimize their productivity and increase their crop yields.
Speaking during the relaunching of the cooperative, Minister Nuetah also announced that the Joseph Boakai administration will collaborate with the FDMCS to serve as a platform for local farmers to pool their resources, share knowledge and skills, and collectively market their produce.
He also stressed the importance of collaboration among farmers and the need for them to work together to overcome challenges and seize opportunities in the agricultural sector, pledging the government’s fullest support towards the developing of the hectares.
According to him, as per the President’s intention of wanting farmers to use farming to improve their lives, the Ministry of Agriculture, under his leadership will ensure that all local farmers across Liberia will farm for income generation and not for feeding alone, like was done in the past.
He maintained, “So, I am going to tell the President that I am developing 2,000 hectares of land in Fuamah for rice production, and if I tell him that, you also have to defend me by doing the job. So, whatever is needed to develop the 2,000 hectares, I am prepared.”
“Because as Minister of Agriculture and with the blessing of the President who is passionate about Agriculture, I am prepared to develop the entire 2,000 hectares of land that you have here because my plan is not just to produce rice but to follow the entire value chain and not just the production,” he said.
“But you as famers have an obligation, and if we say we will do it for you, you have the obligation to make achievable. I am not a Minister that sits in the office, so once we get started, I will be visiting this field every month to see the level of progress by this cooperative,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, Minister Nuetah also disclosed that he will work along with the STAR- P and RETRAP projects to build some warehouses and a rice mill, which will include a bigger processing plant that will be able to process all harvested rice by the cooperative and its surrounding.
He also assured them that once they remain committed to producing 2,000 metric tons annually, he will work along with the Ministry of Commerce to commit the government to cut down the importation of rice by 2,000 metric tons to ensure that local farmers’ rice are sold on the market.
Earlier, the FDMCS Chairman, Prince D. Peter, described the intervention of the government, coupled with the donation of the marching grants, as a relief package, noting that it has enabled them to expand production from 100 hectares to 500 last farming season.
He added, “Since the end of the civil crisis and in the history of the cooperative, this is the first time we have been able to expand production in such a manner, and since the establishment of the cooperative, we can now boast of vast swampland, even though production is always low.”
At the same time, several local farmers expressed optimism about the government’s plans and welcomed the relaunch of the cooperative, stating that working together through the cooperative will help them access new markets, increase their incomes, and improve their livelihoods.
