A group under the banner “Cooperative Women for Swamp Development” wants the Government of Liberia empower farmers and invest into swamp rice farming across the Country to enable large scale production of rice; to feed the nation as Liberia’s stable food.
The head of the women’s cooperative Helena Titus in an interview said, Liberia being unable to produce her own food is a signal of bad governance that is equated to economic sabotage which is causing the country to lose millions of dollars annually to other countries’ economy on rice importation.
According Madam Titus, the Cooperative comprised of women farmers is established to advocate for low land farming and educate farmers in Sanniquellie and beyond about the wealth within the soil.
“I want the government and every Liberian to know today that Liberia’s bank for sustainable development is the soil; it is the solution to our food problem,” she added.
Speaking at the clearing site of five acres swamp land in Sanniquellie, Madam Titus said there are several swam land across Liberia that farmers can develop with the support from government to grow rice and create fish ponds; something she claimed is making some Countries’ agriculture sectors industrial.
“If the sector will be able to produce Liberia’s own stable food, it must firstly start with the allocations within the national budget for agricultural products and direct support to farmers, which will speak to the government readiness,” she stressed.
In the 2022-2023 national budget passed, the government allocated US$5.42 million to the agriculture sector, which is (0.70%) of the over Seven hundred million budget.
Experts in the sector have said the amount apportioned for the sector as usual, is spent on employees’ salaries, instead of direct investment into farms-to-market infrastructures, fertilizers, seedling, and climate smart agriculture products to industrialize the sector; and as well curtail the importation of rice.
The experienced agriculturist said, she has been farming for many years, and knows how investment into the soil pays maintaining, “This is why we have established this farming cooperative; to have the women do something that will generate incomes for them. The soil is the solution to Liberia’s food problem.”
It can be recalled that in September 2022, Liberia experienced shortage of rice on the market, which led to President George Weah describing the report as “mere street gossip”, stressing that there is sufficient food in the country to serve the population.
Rice as a commodity has a history of riots since the 1980s, which has negatively impacted Liberia’s peace and development, and now considered “political commodity” in the political sphere of Liberia.
Meanwhile, some members of the cooperative say they have joined the group to have food for their children to food eat. Some pointed out lack of financial support by their children’s fathers is increasing hardship on them, and little for their children to eat.
Sannie Flomo disclosed that the cooperative needs cutlasses, shovels, diggers, hooks, spray cans, fertilizer and seeds, among other tools as support currently needed to enable the cooperative’s first farm project turnout successful.
The women believe as the cooperative undertakes it first rice project, the farm will yield much, and enable them have enough rice to sell and feed their children. By Desire Milton-FeJAL/USAID Gender Reporting Fellow .
