GBARNGA – In his recent State of the Nation Address, President Weah noted that: “his government is determined to ensure that Liberia has a vibrant agriculture sector to ensure food security and sustainable development; an important component of the PAPD.” In furtherance of the President’s statement, the ministries of Agriculture and Finance and Development Planning on Friday 29 January hosted a one-day National Dialogue in Gbarnga, Bong County. The meeting under the theme: Enhancing and supporting investment in rice and cocoa production brought together public. Private and international actors in the sector.
Presentations focused on the challenges as well as opportunities for improve investment and increased productivity in the sector. Giving an overview of the Central Agriculture Research Institute, the Director General, Dr. Victor Sumo emphasized the need to develop laboratories for testing and setting up of nurseries. CARI at the moment has no functional laboratories to test and develop new brew of seedlings.
For his part, the President of the National Rice Federation of Liberia was bold in his expressions. He said that in order to increase food security in the Country, the government will have to be serious in deeds and not on paper alone. The country has spent more money of agriculture but there has been no or very limited gains. We have borrowed so much money but there is nothing to show for it. Now is the time for the Government of Liberia to step in and provide us the needed support to boost rice production in the country.
Mr. Mohamed Kamara went on to say that it is even disheartening to note that members of the national legislature have refused to pass the National Seed Act which has been before them for years. What do they want from us before passing this Act? In other countries, the legislature will be running to pass such a good Act because it is in the interest of the Liberian people.
It is unfortunate and shameful for Liberians to say that rice is their staple food. How can you say something is your staple food when you cannot produce it in your own country, especially so with all the abundance of land and good soil you have?” On average, the country spends between 200-250 million on the importation of rice. The removal of tariff on the importation of rice has the propensity to affect “infant industry” in the country. Once the importation of rice is subsidize, it makes it difficult for local producers to compete in the market, especially taking into consideration their operational cost.
One participant recalled that in 1975, a former superintendent the late Harry Greaves stopped imported rice from coming into the Bong County and by extension, Lofa County. That very year marked the beginning of big rice production, the setting up of cooperatives, kuu and other agriculture groups in those two counties. “Once there is a mandate and support, Liberians will grow more rice than they can consume” Mr. Kolleh noted.
The cocoa sector has also witnessed its shared of underproduction due to the civil war. Revitalizing the sector will require more than just support to smallholder farmers which has been the focus of international organizations. Mr. Suleiman Kamara, President of Vademco, a cocoa producing company explained that if “10% of the amount spent by international partners were given to local farmers, a lot will be achieved. International NGOs are all over the country duplicating responsibilities without any coordination, spending more money on policies than providing small equipment to local farmers. They ride big cars in the city and refuse to even provide motorbikes to their sub-offices. How can you have four international organization doing the same thing without coordinating in one small county?”
The Liberia Agriculture Commodities Regulatory Authority noted that the LPMC model which was similar to that of the Ghana Cocoa Board is the best approach that will provide farmers value for the crops. Dr. Flomo said that the proliferation of foreign buyers in the sector was short-changing farmers and denying the government of the needed foreign exchange earnings. “How can you have someone comes into the country, he buys our cocoa, ships it, saves his money in a foreign bank. He then uses some of that same money to buy goods and ship it to Liberia and sells it and spends it on buying cocoa again?” This is grossly unfair to the country, Mr. Flomo lamented. We must muster the “political will” to stop these things from occurring in our own back yard” the LACRA boss noted.
The Chair of the Liberian Land Authority explained that “gone are the days when people will sit in Monrovia and issue land to concessions without any consideration for the rural land owners.” Atty. Manobah said that the LLA is focused on issuing titles and deeds to local communities so that they can have bargaining powers.
In closing remarks, Deputy Minister for Economic Management at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Augustus Flomo said that the president commitment towards a heavy lifting in the agriculture sector cannot be over-emphasized. He noted that the Government of Liberia remains fully committed to supporting all players in the agriculture sector for sustained economic growth.
Findings from the one-day national dialogue will serve as a guiding tool for the hosting of the National Agriculture Fair in February this year. The meeting also brought together representatives from the International Financial Corporation, GROW-Liberia, IFAD, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations amongst others.
