The Ministry of Agriculture has launched the harvest of 300 hectares of lowland rice from the Donkodan Cooperative, a major rice project situated in Gbedin, Nimba County.
The launch event signifies the Liberian government's commitment to increasing productivity, improving food security, and reducing rice importation.
Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah launched the harvest last week, stating that the government of Liberia wants to see agriculture done differently to reduce poverty in rural areas.
"This is how we want to do agriculture in the country by promoting farm mechanization. The President has said that women will never be able to improve in agriculture the way we have done it before. We have been able today to demonstrate with the equipment to harvest rice in a few minutes. Using farm machines will increase productivity and make the nation self-sufficient," he mentioned.
Minister Nuetah reiterated that in five years it is expected that the country will reach its target of 50,000 hectares cultivation of lowland in line with the new agricultural development plan, adding that the harvest was just one of the many achievements to meet the goal for improving rice production.
"With this harvest, we are expecting 600 metric tons of rice that will be processed and placed on the market. We want to be able to reduce the importation of rice," he added.
Established in 1960, according to some residents, the Donkodan Cooperative with assistance from the government was known for its immense contribution towards the country's self-sufficiency in rice production. However, the prolonged civil war seriously affected the infrastructures of the cooperative, which included its dam (irrigation system). Though there has been international assistance after the war to revive the cooperative, challenges such as poor governance, limited equipment, limited access to loans, and tools still exist.
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However, supported by the Ministry's World Bank-funded project, Smallholder Transformation Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P), the cooperative is realizing a significant improvement, scaling up production from 200 to 300 hectares.
The Ministry provided a tractor for plowing, a combine harvester to help reduce post-harvest losses, fertilizers and other tools. Moreover, the Ministry worked to rehabilitate the dam and work on the other one is planned.
According to the Gbendi Agro Business Enterprise, an organization working with the farmers and in partnership with the Ministry, more than 250, smallholder farmers, the majority of whom are women have been empowered as the result of the intervention.
Samuel Brown, head of Gbedin Agro said his organization looked forward to the Ministry and the Cooperative Development Agency (CDA) in addressing the challenges facing the cooperative.
"The cooperative needs additional equipment such as a power tiller and loan to purchase the rice from the farmers and put it on the market. We also want the CDA to get involved in solving the governance issue facing the cooperative," he said.
With continued support from the government and development partners, it is expected that the Dokodan Farmers Cooperative will provide sustainable income opportunities for its members and other community people to reclaim its status in contributing to food security.
