Speaker Koffa Seeks China’s Agricultural Knowledge -To Help Liberians Grow Rice By: Yassah J Wright

House Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa  has appealed to the People’s Republic of China through its Embassy in Monrovia, to transfer its technical technology knowledge and expertise in agriculture for rice production and cultivation to Liberia. The People’s Republic of China held a dinner under the theme: “Keeping in Mind the Original Aspiration of China-Liberia Relations to Move Forward Together.”  During the dinner, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Yin Chengwu disclosed that they will continue to advance engagement at all levels and in all areas with Liberia. However, making recommendation on late Monday evening at the dinner organized by the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, Speaker Koffa said  China has lots of technical and technology expertise in agriculture, especially in rice production that they can help Liberia grown its own food. According to him, Liberia spend a lot of money on rice importation which brings Liberia trade relationship in deficit because we are an import dependent economy but with us growing our own food will enable the economy to save resources. ‘’ Our Chinese counterpart needs to transfer that technical and technology to us so we can be able to feed ourselves. There are lots of ably lands, you know, we can plant and grow rice and feed ourselves. So, when that is done, we don’t have to use this huge resources of foreign exchange to buy rice every year,’’ Speaker Koffa appealed. ‘’ Mr. Ambassador, we are still down struggling with the issues of rice price. The importation of rice remains a huge burden on our foreign reserve. With lots of ably land in Liberia, certainly, Liberia with your technology will be able to feed itself. Additionally, with further technically advancement and transfer, we will be able to turn our raw materials into finished product and become a net export nation. With that, we will feed ourselves and provide jobs for our people,’’ Speaker Koffa  also noted. He said  China has the technical knowledge and resource and with their track record of assisting Liberia in past and current in knowledge based agreement, he believes that china can further help Liberia with the technology to grow its economy and turned raw materials to finish product.  The Grand Kru County District Two lawmaker stated that Liberia producing its own food or what its eats the most will bring value addition, adding that Liberia has good logging shipment and if value addition can be added, the country will expand its economy growth. ‘’ We appreciate and thank so much China role in Liberia recounted by Chinese Ambassador Yin Chengwu. The relationship with china it’s about time that it sees more growth in the Liberian economy. Our trade relationship, Liberia is in a deficit. We need to do everything we can with china to grown our value addition so that we can export not only to china but to the rest of the world finished product,’’ Speaker Koffa added. He further indicated that Liberia-China common trading Association must have less deficit on the Liberian side, adding that the Chinese side will do well to continue to assist Liberia in the area of technology transfer because it’s the medium through which Liberia can feed itself.