4 November 2008
Grand Bassa County, under the administration of Superintendent Julia Duncan Cassell, has begun massive preparation for the upcoming National Agriculture Fair scheduled to take place in Vonjama, Lofa County next month.
The National Agriculture Fair is an annual event organized by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Agriculture. It brings together farmers from the length and breadth of the country, as they display their products.
The best farmer is awarded prizes as the best farmer in the country. Last year, the event took place in Bomi County, where a farmer from Lofa County won the best farmer award with a prize of $50, 000.
But as this year event draws nearer, the people of Grand Bassa County have started preparation, to ensure that the best farmer in the country comes from the county this time.
In furtherance of the county's determination, the administration over the weekend held a program in observance of the second Agriculture Fair in preparation of the county's Annual Agriculture event.
The program was held on Friday at the District Headquarters, in Gorblee, Compound No #3 where farmers in the county displayed their best products.
This year National Agriculture Fair event will be held under the theme "The soil is a bank, invest in it". The same theme the county administration used in observance of the County Agriculture Fair.
The ceremony was attended by Assistant Agriculture Minister for Extension, A. Richelieu Mitchell, who told the gathering that it was now time that Liberians see reasons to return to the soil if the nation is to be self-sufficient in food production
He maintained that growing more food by Liberians is the best way forward in the ensuring food security and fighting hunger. He pledged the Unity Party-led government's continued support towards the country agriculture program
Also speaking at the program were the Superintendent of Wee-Statutory District Abel Nyonbol and the County's Agriculture coordinator, Amos. Zeon.
Both of them expressed gratitude to the administration of Superintendent Julia Duncan Cassell for the level of support farmers in the county are getting to actively get involved in farming activities.
According to them, central government needed to provide more support to local farmers if Liberia is to grow more food and to stop dependency on foreign food
Also speaking at the program, former Defense Minister Daniel Chea, now a career farmer in the county called on his kinsmen to make good use of the county's rich soil.
"Let us disabuse the minds of other Liberians that we Bassa people are lazy and only love pleasure," Mr. Chea said . The occasion was also attended by the Representative of the District, Byron Brown. In his remarks, he called on the government to loans to farmers, to encourage them get actively involved in agricultural activities.
Superintendent Julia Duncan Cassell said the exercise was intended to encourage farmers to take advantage of the county's rich soil by getting involved in farming activities.
She assure the people of the Grand Bassa that the county will be successful during the upcoming National Agriculture Fair. Supt.Cassell said it was now time that Liberians return home to invest in agriculture.
The event was also attended by several Agricultural National and International Non- governmental organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
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