Liberia: FAO, Agriculture and Internal Affairs Ministries Sign US$499,000 Grant Agreement to Finance Vegetable Production in Five of Liberia's 15 Counties - FrontPageAfrica

Source: Front Page Africa
Author: Francis G. Boayue

MONROVIA- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as part of its longstanding partnership with Liberia, has signed a 24-month project with the Agriculture and Internal Affairs Ministries, styled "Strengthened Smallholders' Capacity for Market-oriented Vegetable Production in Liberia under its FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme to the Government of Liberia.

By Francis G. Boayue

At a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Agriculture in Congo Town on Saturday, March 16, Madam Bintia Stephen Tchicaya, FAO Country Representative to Liberia, said the project is valued at US$499,000, with a duration of 24 months (1 January 2024 - 31 December 2025).

According to Madam Tchicaya, FAO will partner with the decentralized offices of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), and the Division of Communal Farming, Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to enhance the productivity of 500 smallholder vegetable growers, mainly female farmers in Lofa, Bong, Nimba, Bomi, and Gbarpolu Counties.

'The project is part of FAO's ongoing effort to support the Government in addressing low productivity, limited nutrition awareness, and limited access to reliable markets through the strengthening of smallholder producers' capacities, especially women through training on improved crop husbandry practices, and pest management, among others and will also provide quality seeds and assorted tools, and facilitate market linkages between smallholder producers and aggregators, and end-markets hotels, supermarkets, and restaurants," she asserted.

She said the project seeks to achieve the following expected outcomes and outputs: "Productive capacities of smallholder vegetable producers strengthened, increase productivity and incomes through improved market access as well as strengthening the capacities of smallholder producers toward the adoption of sustainable vegetable production and post-harvest handling practices, adding that Smallholder producers' access to markets and credit facilities enhanced, Project Coordination and Management.

Madam Tchicaya further said the primary crops will include both indigenous and exotic vegetables (peppers, bitter balls, cabbage, tomato, watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, potato, yam, ginger, and onion), and the promotion of intercropping of legumes (groundnut and cowpea) to enhance integrated soil fertility management and providing support to smallholder producers to expand production and productivity has several benefits - vegetable production provides a sustainable source of income as well as promotes improved nutrition through diet diversification.

In conclusion, Madam Tchicaya expressed FAO's commitment to a cordial working relationship between the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs; in our collective efforts to ensure better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all," Madam Bintia Stephen Tchicaya said.

For their part, the Minister of Agriculture J. Alexander Nuetah, and Internal Affairs Minister Francis Nyumalin lauded the FAO for the project on vegetables which is in line with the President vision for agriculture and empowerment for rural women.