Volunteer Farmers Seek GoL Support, Transparency -For Louisiana Township Household Agricultural Supply By: John Dennis Weah weahdennis2006@gmail.com +231 776 460595

It is alleged that some farmers within Breakthrough and Bassa Town Communities in the Township of Louisiana, Montserrado County are not benefiting from the United Nations and World Food Programme-WFP Household Card food distribution intended for farmers; instead most of the people who benefit do not have claims of individual farms. The accusers said they are growing crops and vegetables but are not empowered by the food ration because their names have not appeared in the database for the beneficiary listing following several attempts and claimed they have been isolated. The communities’ leadership was approached by the In Profile Daily for details of the matter and quite fortunately responded of being aware of the food distribution exercise but declined of knowing the name of the institution that is carrying out the distribution in spite of engagements made.  Despite government’s continuous efforts and expediency to attract international donors for smallholders’ agricultural productivity in Liberia yet farming initiative is just attractive but failed to inspire in the short term.

“We the farmers in Louisiana all by ourselves can grow more food and feed the entire Monrovia the nation’s capital only if we are given the necessary support from the Ministry of Agriculture and donor partners.  But we regret that some of us are disturbed and troubled to gain courage of producing more food stuck because we do not get the Agricultural Household food supply that normally comes in for distribution to farmers in our communities.” The process has to be transparently fair in order for the assistance to reach out in the hands of those who are mainly working in the field of agriculture said Mr. Emmanuel James, a Nigerian resident who is one of the few farmers involved into crops and vegetables production in the area. 

 According to Mr. James, a lot could be achieved to grow more food when a survey is conducted to make simpler the statistics of farmers to avoid the corruption of supplied items to the wrong people in case it is made available for farmers only.

“Let those who go out in the field to plant and grow food and those who are also into Animal Husbandry be the ones to benefit agriculture materials. I overheard that certain group sometimes come here to our community to donate food and materials to farmers in Louisiana. But the group’s name is yet to be disclosed to some of us by our community leaders because they feel embarrassed to involve the literate few. I tried to ask the leaders and some of those who are benefiting from the household food supplies but they usually said, we don’t know the name of the group responsible for the supply,” he mentioned.    

Furthermore, a group of old folk’s farmers who are also widows claimed that they are excluded from the agricultural supply program in Louisiana is pleading to the government of President Joseph NyumaBoakai to help them eradicate food insecurity in Liberia. They are involved with farming as their livelihood and therefore calling for support in the diversity of agriculture to boost food supply on the urban markets; it is the only means to enhance food production and generate more income to sustain their families.

The volunteer farmers are requesting financial assistance, seed kinds and farming implements to foster food security within the country as the nation struggles to feed its people. They also believed that vast majority of Liberia’s soil is fertile and growing various food kinds and the nation’s staple food (Rice) are feasible to be grown in mass.

Ma Annie Siafa alias mama D’ believed to be in her 90’s is known for rice farming in the area. Besides her previous rice farm, she has cultivated additional plot of land to grow more rice this year but fears her past experience last year that the birds would swallow-up most of the yields. She made a fervent appeal to the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Agriculture to prioritize bird nets for farmers who are interested in rice production nationwide. At the same time as two other old folks, Martha Johnson and Norah Freeman also reveal their displeasure over the food intended for farmers terming it as “young boys and young girls who have no interest in agriculture are getting farmers’ benefit.”  

Generally, farming continues to be the linchpin for most of the food stocks produce locally in country. However, small holders’ farmers are held back by lack of fertilizer and irrigation, poor seeds, breeding stock; and inadequate credit, machinery and infrastructure for transport, storage and marketing. Verified by the Liberia Agriculture Census 2022/2023 which provides insights into the structure of agriculture in the country, including the number of agricultural households and the crops they cultivate. Displaying crop cultivation as the predominant agricultural activity, practiced by about 99% of agricultural household, Rice/Paddy cultivated by 56.3% of households and Cassava cultivated by 45.9% of households are the two dominant crops grown by households.

Agriculture is central to Liberia’s vision of economic transformation, the modernization and technological advancements of mechanized farming in diverse fields of agriculture are underrate, as subsistence farming in the country’s agriculture sector still reflects the Stone Age and hand-made tools are well-known means for farmers in Liberia.