Agriculture Minister Nuetah has described rice as a primary commodity for Liberians.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, November 4, 2024: Liberia's Agriculture Ministry has taken a giant step in lower Bong County and several other counties to boost locally produced rice.
The Ministry seeks to strengthen food security and address the huge importation of foreign rice into the Liberian market.
On Saturday, November 2, 2024, Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah visited lower Bong County, particularly Bong Mines, and launched 100 acres of lowland rice harvest.
One of the Ministry's partners, the 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 while demonstrating 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, 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 two thousand four hundred hectares.
Minister Nuetah's visitation also concluded with a visit to other farms in Margibi County.
The visits were meant to inspire all 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.
Addressing the press at the Fuamah Multipurpose Corporation in Bong County, Minister Nuetah extolled the farmers' progress while urging all hands on deck to address food insecurity.
"Today, we are visiting here in lower Bong County. We have come here earlier this year to see what we can do here," he said.
"The average capacity here at the Fuamah should be around Two Thousand Four Hundred hectares, but this year, we have invested in developing nine hundred hectares," Nuetah explained.
He revealed that rice production is ongoing currently, adding that the visit was intended to see how the project and progress are ongoing.
Minister Nuetah described rice as a primary commodity for Liberians, jokingly adding that Liberians eat a lot of rice but don't grow a lot.
"We are importing about 70% of the rice we eat. So, we tried to encourage our Liberian farmers to get involved with rice production because it's the Vision of President Joseph N. Boakai," Nuetah indicated.
"The President has said that Liberians should feed themselves, and when the President gives us that mandate, the first place we seek to execute that was here to set the example of what we want farming, especially rice farming, to be like," he stated.
According to him, there are plans to utilize all the land they have visited.
However, Nuetah disclosed that they have two significant plans that they are working on.
He outlined the search for a potential investor and capacity strengthening as the vision for the sector area.
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"We are looking for an investor that will take over the entire two thousand four hundred hectares and fully develop it in collaboration with the smallholder farmer."
Minister Nuetah suggested that if they have the proper aggravation facility in place, they will grow two to three times a year.
"Also, we have [a] plan to have one thousand hectares cultivated next year," Minister Nuetah added.
Speaking separately, Makona MADECO, led by a Liberian farmer, Mr. James T. Nyumah, and Fuamah Multipurpose Corporative Chairman of the Workers, Mr. Prince D. Peter,s, expressed gratitude to the Minister and team for the visitation.
"We want to thank the Minister and team for the visit. This visitation has inspired us to do more in growing our local rice."
"We are ready and prepared to work with the Minister to achieve the president's mandate."
