FAO with Additional Support from UNPeacebuilding Fund and the Joint Programme on Rural Women Economic Empowerment Donate Track Crawling Power Tillers and Computers to the Ministry of Agriculture

Gardnesville, Liberia - August 28, 2020 – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with additional support from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and the Joint Programme on Rural Women Economic Empowerment (RWEE) donated three (3) Track Crawling Power Tillers and fifteen (15) computers to the Ministry of Agriculture, PMU facilities in Gardnesville, Liberia on August 28, 2020.

Mr. Octavius Quarbo, Assistant FAO Representative for Programme, on behalf of FAO Representative Madam Mariatou Njie, presented the agro-machines and computers to the Honorable Jeanine Milly Cooper, Minister of Agriculture. Mr. Quarbo stated that the agro-machines planned for Bomi, Margibi, and Nimba counties, will be accessed and used by farmers under a public-private partnership sustainability scheme.

Though meant for FAO-established integrated model gardens of five hectares where high-value vegetable and poultry are produced, the Assistant FAOR emphasized that, under the proposed sustainability mechanism, other farmers would access the agro-machines and use them for site preparation in crop production.

Highlighting the importance of research to policymaking and programme development, he stated that the portable acer computers donated to the Ministry of Agriculture, under the FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme – which contributed to strengthening the Statistics Unit - would aid in addressing the challenges statisticians face in data collection.

For her part, the Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Jeanine Cooper appreciated FAO for their continued presence in Liberia and their strong partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture. The Hon. Minister stated that she looks forward to personally seeing the agro-machines on the field. She also noted that the computers were a great boost to the ministry’s capacity and monitoring, which is important “to be able to operate in this digital era, made even more intense since the onset of COVID”. The donation by FAO and its partners shows its continued support to addressing the challenges affecting the agriculture sector during the global pandemic. The shift to digital technology for communication, monitoring & evaluation, and data collection has slowed down some interventions and projects; however, the Ministry of Agriculture with support from FAO has still managed to fulfil key achievements within the sector.

Also present was a representative of the Peacebuilding Fund/Liberia Multi-partners Trust Fund Secretariat’s Mr. John Dennis. For the three communities of Moore Town (Bomi County), Cinta (Margibi County), and Sippi Town (Nimba County), these agro-machines are expected to boost the level of production and increase farmers’ productivity. Beyond the five hectares of each model gardens, other lowland fields stand the chance to benefit from this aspect of agricultural mechanization. 

Media Contact:

Mr. Michael Cooper

Communications Specialist

FAO-Liberia

Email: [email protected]

Office Cell:+231776737529