MONROVIA, Jan. 25 (LINA) – President George Manneh Weah has underscored that the Government of Liberia will prioritize the agriculture sector in order to realize food security in the country.
The Liberian leader made the call amidst huge dependency on the importation of basic food commodities on the Liberian market, most0 especially rice, the staple food of the Liberian populace.
Delivering his State of the Nation address before a Joint Session of the Liberian Legislature, President Weah emphasized the need for a renewed focus on agriculture, citing that the Government is determined to ensure that the country ensures a vibrant agricultural sector to ensure food security and sustainable development.
“We must grow what we eat and eat what we grow,” President Weah told his compatriots.
The President maintained that agriculture remains an important component of his government’s development agenda, which is the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, the PAPD.
He urged Liberians to go back to the soil in order to utilize agriculture as a vital tool for the revitalization of the economy.
« We have the land, we have the labor and we have the climate. So let’s go back to the soil to grow what we eat and eat what we grow, » President Weah said.
The Liberian Chief Executive indicated that prioritizing the agriculture sector will subsequently reduce dependency on food importation and further create job opportunities and increase food security.
« In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture will be the focal point to lead and coordinate the drive that should transform the agriculture landscape in Liberia, » Dr. Weah assured Liberians.
He disclosed that the task of revitalizing the agriculture sector is already on the way, adding that the sector will continue to receive the fullest support of this government.
Pres. Weah maintained that the activities in the agricultural sector will continue to receive his personal attention and fullest support of the government going forward as a means of enabling Liberians to benefit from the potential of the sector, which is the engine of development, economic growth and poverty reduction.
The Ministry of Agriculture recently embarked on the distribution of agricultural implements to selected counties to drive growth and development in the sector and the country at-large.
The Ministry at the weekend handed over COVID-19 stimulus package grants to agro-enterprises worth over US$295,000.
