MONROVIA – The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has vowed to expose delinquent farmers under the Emergency Rice Production Offensive (ERPO) project.
Assistant Agriculture Minister for technical service Zogbo Luther said farmers must honor their contracts signed with MOA or will be exposed in the media and prosecuted under the law.
Zogbo, who is the ERPO technical focal person, was speaking at the start of a three-day training for farmers at Bethel Church in Kakata, Margibi County on 7 September.
“This project is very much important to the government as we march towards food sufficiency. Those of you, who signed contracts with us under the project, must do what you signed-up to do.
“Failure on your part, we will expose and prosecute you. The same way you run to the media to complain the government is the same way we will go to the press to name and shame all the delinquent farmers,” said Zogbo.
Thirty-seven (37) farmers, representing cooperatives, gathered for the training to increase rice production.
There was a similar training at the Central Agriculture Research Institute (CARI) in Gbarnga, Bong County from 4-6 September.
“Everything has a timeline. Your responsibility as a farmer in terms of where you clear the land, destump or to lay it out, to create water access, that’s the irrigation aspect, alright, that’s to last for a month.
“People have tried to reach that target. Some people are almost done planting. So we all just have to double-up to be able to reach the targeted amount that we signed for so that we can move forward with this project,” said Zogbo.
Zogbo said a periodic monitoring and evaluation is being carried out to ensure that the farmers, who signed contracts until harvest, are in compliance.
The ERPO project is being piloted in Bong, Gbarpolu, Margibi and Montserrado Counties.
“We have a lot of success stories. Lots of people want to be a part. A farmer
came today with his document that he wants to be part of it but we told him that the recruitment process is closed.
“We are here for training, especially for those who signed contracts with the Ministry of Agriculture. Finding swamps now for the project is also difficult because lots of people are growing interest in growing their own food in Liberia because of the project,” added Zogbo, who believes rice will be abundant in Liberia in the next few months.
Asked whether there are challenges, Zogbo said: “We have been intervening when it comes to land ownership. We also have a natural disaster with regards to flood. That has been so huge but the rain is ceasing now and the farmers are going back to their sites to be able to carry on production.”
Wayfa F. Ciapha, chief executive officer of Grow Liberia Sonoyea Women
Farmers Network Cooperatives, is producing rice on 25 hectares, 10
hectares more than what her group signed-up to.
Wayfa noted that this is the first time government has provided support, including funds, seeds, insecticides and fertilizers, to farmers to boost rice production.
“We were into 11 sites but are currently dealing with 10 sites. We have gone 60-percent into planting. We want the ministry to know that we also share the government’s vision for food sufficiency,” she said.
Morris Y. Sirleaf of Gbakoyah Town in Salala District, who is also impressed with government’s desire to boost rice production, has a challenge to deal with on his one hectare.
“I have about 10 persons, who were diligently working with me but they started creating all sorts of problems after they heard that the government is providing money to me.
“I have tried to explain in bits and pieces but they still think I am receiving millions and giving them peanuts. So I have to provide money for every small work they do,” Sirleaf explained.
Bong has 832 hectares with 61 farmers, 28 farmers in Montserrado and 14
farmers in Gbarpolu, totaling 140 farmers with 1,696 hectares to be cultivated.
Seven facilitators are conducting the trainings, which will also be held in Montserrado and Gbarpolu Counties, on land preparation and irrigation,
nursery to harvest, fertilizer application and management, insecticide application measurement and pre and post-harvest losses.
They include MOA director of crop resource division Gregory Taplah, MOA crop officer S. Caspar Tarty, MOA acting director of extension Alaric Mienwipia and Jobson Momo and Amis Nah of CARI.
Funded by the African Development Bank and introduced in 2023, the ERPO is one of government’s strategies to boost rice production in line with the National Agriculture Development Plan.
The project plans to cultivate rice on 1,694 hectares of lowland, with a goal of producing 2,000 metric tons of clean rice.
This initiative is crucial in reducing Liberia’s reliance on rice imports and strengthening national food security, providing a viable solution amid the country’s current rice problem.
Agriculture Minister Alexander Nuetah held a meeting with beneficiaries in Monrovia in September.
“Any money we give you, you will be held accountable for it. We will praise those who do well and expose those who do not. Agriculture will not be the same,” said Dr. Nuetah.
Dr. Nuetah announced plans for a major rice processing plant in Bong, which will purchase, process and sell rice with an ambitious target of introducing five Liberian rice brands on the market in 2025.
The ERPO provides improved seed rice varieties, fertilizers, herbicides and other inputs in addition to a financial support of US$1,000 per hectare.
It marks a significant advancement towards sustainable agriculture and economic growth in Liberia, reflecting government’s commitment to empowering farmers and ensuring long-term food security.
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