The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has launched the 2024 National Agriculture Fair (NAF) to showcase the country's agricultural potentials.
The 2024 fair, which is under the theme, 'Promoting Agriculture for Food Security Nutrition, and Sustainable Development', was launched on Thursday, August 15, 2024 at a meeting held at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, Monrovia, attended by agricultural actors and development partners.
The annual event, scheduled for November and December this year at the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) in Kakata, Margibi County, promises an exhibition of agricultural products, improved technologies and practices and to facilitate stakeholders' interactions for exchange of knowledge and experience.
The fair will bring together farmers, processors, agro-input dealers, manufacturers, and other members of the agricultural value chain and fisheries, academia, researchers, government officials, development partners and local and international organizations, providing a very unique opportunity for knowledge exchange and empowerment.
The MOA is authorized to hold an annual agricultural fair to showcase machinery, insecticides, fertilizers and other products of agriculture and the food system.
The fair, which often aligns with the celebration of the World Food Day program, has been inactive since 2008 but later revived in 2021.
Deputy Agriculture Minister for Planning and Development, David Akoi, who launched the event on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, urged all stakeholders, particularly officials of the government, to be encouraged to attend the event and acquaint themselves with the achievements of the sector.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He said the ministry regards the fair as important to showcase the achievements of the sector.
"We want everyone, particularly government officials, to be encouraged to attend this event and know the happenings of the sector," he stated.
Speaking earlier, the Assistant Minister for Regional Development Research and Extension, Edward Perry, provided a historical background of the fair; its maiden edition was held in 1956.
Minister Perry mentioned that this year's fair will create awareness and educate stakeholders about the challenges and successes of farmers and other actors.
Meanwhile, the head for the Liberia Agriculture Value Chain Actors, Joseph Morris, has appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture to incorporate the Green Day agriculture fair planning activity for the pending agriculture fair.
The Green Day fair is an initiative of agricultural actors to showcase the potential of agriculture.
Morris said that before the coming in of the Boakai administration, actors of the sector had planned the fair, commonly known as the Green Day, but it wasn't held due to some unavoidable circumstances.
"We are appealing to the Ministry to incorporate the plan of the Green Day fair for the coming event. There are a lot of farmers who did register to participate in the fair," he said.
