Monrovia — Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah says that, with the target the Government of Liberia has put in place through the Ministry of Agriculture, Liberia will grow about 45% of the rice it consumes by 2025.
Speaking in an interview with journalists over the weekend in Bong Mines, Lower Bong County, he underscored a need for the country to go beyond importing rice, but this can only be done by Liberians growing the rice they eat.
Dr. Neutah is optimistic that Liberians can do it based on what he has noticed across the country.
One hectare is bigger than an acre, as a hectare contains 2.471054 acres or more than 0.4 of an acre.
He says the government is supporting rice production on four thousand six hundred and ninety-six hectares of land, which, if cultivated, could yield about 7,000 metric tons of rice.
Accordingly, he points out that if this is converted, there should be around three thousand metric tons of locally produced rice on the Liberian market, but it will just be a drop in the bucket because statistics from 2023 show that Liberians consumed five hundred and sixteen thousand metric tons of rice.
"So, if we grow this year, four thousand metric tons from our government-supported and other smallholder farmers, who are growing rice as we know, that are not supported by government which they have being doing about 30% production and so, if we added ours there, maybe at the end of the year we might be growing about 35% of what we eat. So, we intend that by next year, if we invest based on the target we have set, by the end of next year, Liberians will be able to say, well, I can be able to do 45% by next year", the Minister projects.
The Ministry of Agriculture took a giant step over the weekend to boost locally produced rice in lower Bong County and several other counties.
It seeks to strengthen food security and address huge importation of foreign rice into the Liberian market.
On Saturday, November 2, 2024, Minister Nuetah visited lower Bong County, particularly Bong Mines, and launched 100 acres of lowland rice harvest.
One of the Ministry's partners, Makona Agriculture and Development Corporation (MADECO), led by a Liberian farmer, Mr. James T. Nyumah, sees the initiative as an incredible achievement.
MADECO has an average capacity of approximately two hundred and fifteen acres of land.
This bumper harvest significantly increases local rice production and strengthens the nation's food security. It also demonstrates the Ministry's unwavering commitment to advancing agriculture in Liberia as part of the "Liberians Feed Yourselves" initiative.
Following the launch of the lowlands rice, Minister Nuetah visited Fuamah Multipurpose Corporative, which is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, to grow and produce local rice.
The Ministry of Agriculture established a large-scale lowland rice production site covering about 900 hectares but with an average capacity of 2,400 hectares.
Dr. Nuetah's visitation also concluded with a visit to other farms in Margibi County.
The visits were meant to inspire farmers to expand production, encourage every Liberian to contribute to a secure food future and track the progress and future of those initiatives in the county.
Commenting on interventions at the Fumah farm in Bong County, he said if they have 25kg bags, it will amount to nine hundred thousand bags, and if processed, recovery will be around about 60%. Therefore, it is expected that by the end of the current production circle, the least could be around four hundred and fifty thousand 25kg bags.
According to the Minister, Fumah is the first mechanized farm in Bong County, but there is one in Nimba County with two hundred hectares under cultivation. In comparison, Lofa has two hundred hectares, and all are expected to be harvested next year, adding that there is still potential for them to do more.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He stresses that if agriculture is supported through budgetary allocation, Liberia will be able to create jobs for smallholder farmers and grow more food.
We have identified five thousand hatchers in Nimba County, two thousand additional hatchers in Bong County, and four thousand hectares in Lofa County. We have to invest in those areas and make them a place. That is where we have been asking our lawmakers to support us. In fact, at the beginning of September, we wrote to all the lawmakers, asking them to support agriculture development, and also shared with them the National Agriculture Plan that we've done. And all of them have it." Dr. Nuetah explains.
He optimistically reveals that locally-produced rice will be in the market, adding that the government has promised the Liberian people that by January next year, Liberian-grown rice will be put on sale here, and five brands have been identified that will be processed and taken to market. Editing by Jonathan Browne
