26 June 2009
Monrovia — It is said any nation that cannot feed itself doesn’t being called a nation,” and this is what is fighting hard to eschew. To the extent that the Liberian government is wielding efforts in this direction is sufficient to conclude that it wants to be “food sufficient and secured. But how possible and how are those working towards this gain are coping is the main question. The Analyst provides information on the latest efforts vis-a-vas the pending the launch of the “Back to the Soil” Campaign.
Whether rain or shine, whether interest or no interest, whether mammoth turnout or not, tomorrow, June 27, 2009 will go down in the annals of history as the day the Liberian Government put the final nail to the coffin that will take it to the land of ‘food sufficiency.
It is the day that Vice President Joseph Boakai, a former Minister of Agriculture of Liberia, will lead an array of government officials, international partners, farmers and ordinary Liberians to launch the second phase of Liberia’s “Back to the soil” campaign.
His participation in the launching program as someone who is knowledgeable of the agriculture sector, one positioned to push the program to its logical conclusion is typical of how significant the government is working to score the needed results.
The Liberian Government through the Ministry of Agriculture along with its collaborating partners has already indicated that this year’s “back to the soil” campaign will take a different trend and shape far from that of last year.
That difference, according to the overseers, means going into the fields, seeing what the farmers are doing and encouraging them to redouble their efforts to make Liberia what it wants to be in food sufficiency.
It may be recalled that last year’s ‘Back to the soil” was launched in Monrovia, but the impact was not felt in the rest of the country, meaning that officials made no efforts in reaching out to the farmers to see what they are doing, or whether the materials given them were properly utilized.
As a national event and in to make the day as successful as possible as the dreams and aspirations and the aims and objectives are, the Ministry of Agriculture is collaborating with other support institutions such as UNMIL, Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) with support from World Food Program (WFP), CHICO and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to ensure that the message reach the length and breadth of the country.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Agriculture represented by Acting Minister Boakai Sirleaf and Assistant Minister Lorpu Kandakai, LCP represented by Ambassador of Juli Endee and UNMIL by the head of outrage, held a press conference to elucidate more on activities earmarked for the “Back to the Soil.”
Assistant Minister Kandakai told reporters that this year’s “Back to the soil” “is to make use of every inch of soil behind the homes to enhance food sufficiency.”
The focus is not absolutely on female farmers, however they are likely to become the main ones to watch during this maiden edition of the “back to the soil campaign.”
The exercise, according to her, is about showcasing some of Liberia’s farmers, seeing their products, the acres of land cultivated and what they are providing. More than that, about 200,000 farmers are targeted for this year’s exercise.
Ambassador Juli Endee, whose organization, the Liberia Crusaders for Peace, is charged of the publicity aspect of the “Back to the Soil” Campaign, has indicated that the program will be launched simultaneously across the country.
This means that while the launching is taking place in Monrovia, the rest of the counties will similarly be doing so.
Though the actual number not disclosed, Ambassador Endee says they have put in the field as many trainers and monitors as possible. “We have trained peer groups, monitors, and other supporting agents. They will be out there spreading the message,” she says.
What such national event requires most, according to observers, is commitment and proactiveness, but the LCP boss indicated that much needs to be put into publicity. “This is a social endeavor,” she indicated, meaning that all Liberians have a stake into it.
She said they would use cultural performances, jingoes and other media methods to convey the message across the country.
During tomorrow’s program, cultural troops of the LCP are expected to entertain the audience and to demonstrate what would be the main medium thru which the message will be transmitted.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 The Analyst. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
You hit the nail on the head in most of your statements. But sometimes, it more complicated than that; it's just might be people in charge who have no idea what needs to be done. Of course, if you don't know what needs to be done, you will probably do the wrong thing or do nothing at all. One thing I always remembered as a child in Lofa was how far away family traveled each year to farm. The farming technique, “slash and burn”, caused the land to lie barren for seven years, I think. Each year, they… [Read Full Text]
I see,Boakai want the people to go back to the soil with their bare hands-maybe use their claws as farmings tools and incentives.
Our so-called leaders never cease to amize us. They are in Monrovia passing out any assistance meant for farmers to only people they know( family and friends ) and then come out making empty statements for people to go back to the soil.God help us!When will these people learn to be real and practical?
making these remark is important,but achieving it, is the most important aspect,this story is not new in liberia
all our past leaders said the same thing but non of them ever achieved this dream,
as a liberian,i believe our government must set buget a side for agriculture,this amount can be invested in the agriculture sector,our government must provide farming equipment as loan,than the farmer either pay the loan with potion of their hervest,and our government can also purchase machine to process the verious crops to finish product and place on the liberian market,huge quantity can also be ship … [Read Full Text]