By B. Linus Flomo (freelancer)
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through the Accelerated Community Development Program (ACDP), presented over 14 laptops to 14 local cooperatives.
The primary reason is to save these cooperatives from using paper-based record keeping, thus upgrading to the use of technology.
The ACDP Program Manager, Boye Johnson, said technology is crucial in record keeping as it minimizes paper waste and that the laptops will enhance the capacity of beneficiaries in record keeping and communication as it will easily be done electronically.
“The 14 agriculture cooperatives are from six counties-Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Lofa, Nimba, and Rivercess and the ACDP team will conduct a rapid assessment to identify where there are gaps to offer very swift and short training programs for the beneficiaries,” says Johnson, adding that some of the beneficiaries already have knowledge and skills in computer use.
The handover is part of the ongoing agriculture intervention to enhance the capacity of the agriculture cooperatives established under the ACDP.
Previously the agriculture cooperatives had benefitted from other interventions such as the supply of modern tractors, post-harvest processing equipment such as cassava and rice mills as well as plough or harrows to complement the work of the tractors.
Through this program, 28 people (8 women and 20 men) were trained in tractor operation, maintenance, and repairs.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries at the handover, Ms. Sinneh Dardue of Sappimah Agriculture Development Association from Gbarpolu County, thanked the ACDP for the support and opportunity offered to them and promised to use the laptop mainly for the cooperatives.
Echoing Dardue’s statement, Moinbah Kamara of Totoquelleh Agriculture Development Association also from Gbarpolu County said with the use of laptops, the cooperatives will be able to provide regular and timely progress reports to ACDP.
The ACDP was launched by the Government of Liberia in October 2022 with the mandate to reduce poverty and inequalities by creating employment opportunities for persons helping to build or repair basic infrastructure such as boreholes/ water wells, feeder roads, markets, schools, and health centers across the country.
The government-led initiative augments ongoing efforts to spur agricultural growth in the country by providing farmers and farm cooperatives with training, improved seeds, and agricultural tools and equipment to improve agricultural production and productivity.
