MONROVIA – Madam Jeannie Cooper, Agriculture Minister-designate has asked members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture to depoliticize the agriculture sector by allowing her the space to perform as an Agriculture Minister.
Her request came in as a response to a question about how is she going to adjust to her new political environment, having spent all her professional life in the private sector.
Mrs. Cooper: “Honorable Senators, if I’m confirmed, I will have work to do. I mean real, real work to do. You are the experts in the political environment, please leave me to do my agriculture business. I cannot politicize this, if we do that we will lose. I mean Liberia will lose, this is everybody’s business and no one makes it a priority than the other. I will do my best to operate in the political environment but focus on the work that I have been tasked to do.”
The experienced agriculturist told members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture that, setting up an agriculture banking institution will take longer and she doesn’t have the luxury of time to wait for the setting up of an Agriculture Bank. She, however, promised that if confirmed, she might push for the commercial banks operating in Liberia to open agriculture lending windows.
“Almost every one of them have told me that in almost all the countries they operate, Liberia is the only country they don’t have such window. While we are studying and finding the money to open an agriculture bank, let’s grab the banks to sit around the table to help our farmers to have access to finance,” she said.
Mrs. Cooper also promised to encourage public private partnership in the sector because, according to her, that is the only way the sector could develop faster. That would be one of her priorities, she said. She also said, supporting local farmers is a key issue that the government of Liberia should be doing.
“If I am confirmed, Honorable Senators, I am having a vision of the Ministry of Agriculture being a major service center for farmers where they will go for answers to question and where they will not be only helped with what is available, or what to do but how they can get it and that is a vision I have for the ministry,” she said.
Honorable Senators, if I’m confirmed, I will have work to do. I mean real, real work to do. You are the experts in the political environment, please leave me to do my agriculture business. I cannot politicize this, if we do that we will lose. I mean Liberia will lose, this is everybody’s business and no one makes it a priority than the other. I will do my best to operate in the political environment but focus on the work that I have been tasked to do.”
– Mrs. Jeannie Cooper, Agriculture Minister-designate
Streamlining Partners
The Agriculture Minister-designate promised to scrutinize supports given by partners in the sector, take what is needed and reject what is not necessary. According to her, lesson learnt from the past showed that some support given in the sector made no impact.
“My vision is of a striving and prosperous agriculture sector that brands Liberia as a source of high quality ethically produced, environmentally friendly food agriculture products. When they say it comes from Liberia, it must be of quality that is the vision that I have.”
As minister of Agriculture, she also has a vision of expanding cultivation which, according to her, is the first step toward merchandized farming.
Speaking to the issue of the Proposed Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority amendment, she said, the document is of concern to her and that there is still a need to review the document so that decision taken by the Legislature can be done from an informed background.
“Our cocoa is unique; our coffee is unique; our product is unique to Liberia. Our cocoa bean is 20% larger than that of our neighbors, why are we trying to measure arms with them and compete in large volume on something that is inferior to what we have? So, my sentiment is that we have to build on our strength and our endowment.
“The Liberia cocoa, coffee is the rearrests I coffee in the world, it commands a premier pricing on the Liberia market we need to develop that. If it’s in my purview, I will ensure that the decision the lawmakers will be taking will be from an informed position.”
Representative Edward Karfia of Bong County last week wrote plenary of the House of Representatives, seeking their indulgence to amend the act of the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority Act (LACRA) of 2016.
The Act, if amended will give, LACRA the power to market and or export cocoa or coffee as it was done during LPMC days. The recommended amended Act will create according to its crafter create thereto sub-section 8.3 which seeks to establish the entity’s authority for purchasing various agriculture commodities on the Liberian Market.
“This amendment if endorsed shall for the records spur trade in local agriculture commodities, increase export earnings, contribute to our national earnings and promotes Liberia Agriculture Commodities value chain integrity amongst others.”
Karfia argued that considering the challenging nature of the country’s economy, and the lack of support to local support, he urged plenary to act swiftly on the instrument to promote economic growth, create jobs and give optimism support to farmers and promote our Liberalization policy.