National Touch

The food we eat shapes our health, and the danger of importing chicken feet, pig feet, spareribs, and soft chicken cannot be ignored.

These products are often the leftover parts that wealthier nations do not consume.

They are shipped to poorer countries as cheap imports, but cheap food often comes with hidden costs. Many of these meats are high in fat, cholesterol, and salt, which increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Instead of nourishing communities, they slowly damage health.

Beyond health risks, importing such products weakens local agriculture.

When foreign meat floods the market at low prices, local farmers struggle to sell their healthier, homeraised chickens and livestock. This discourages domestic production, reduces food security, and makes the nation dependent on imports.

In the long run, it erodes selfsufficiency and leaves communities vulnerable to price changes and shortages.

A reallife example can be seen in many African markets where imported chicken feet and soft chicken dominate. Families buy them because they are cheap, but hospitals later fill with patients suffering from dietrelated illnesses.

Meanwhile, local farmers abandon poultry businesses because they cannot compete. This cycle harms both health and the economy.

Liberia must rethink these imports and instead invest in local farming, better nutrition, and stronger food policies.

Protecting our people means promoting healthy diets and supporting local producers. Cheap meat today should not cost us our health and dignity tomorrow.