Liberia’s Vice President Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor has challenged Liberian women to prioritize agriculture to help ensure food security in the country.
VP Taylor stated that Liberia has struggled over the years to grow her own food, noting that from one government to another, it has remained a serious challenge to address.
Vice President Taylor made statement Wednesday at the Advocacy Forum on Women in Agriculture and Entrepreneurship for empowerment of women in agriculture held at a local hotel in Monrovia.
According to the Vice President, crisis has a way of changing things, noting that since the end of the Liberian conflict, it has been difficult for Liberians to go back to the soil which, she said, is critical for the socio-economic growth of the nation.
She noted that in the 1960s, Liberia grew her own food rather than import most of the basic commodities on the local market, as is the case now.
Vice President Taylor stressed that reactivation of country’s agriculture cooperatives will enhance food production and security in Liberia.
She observed that farming is essential to transform the living condition of any people, and that Liberian women should take advantage of investing in the soil, noting that it is more rewarding than any other job.
She pointed out that farmers are some of the richest people around the world and that it is time for Liberian parents to encourage their children to engage in agricultural activities, rather than depend on imported food.
Vice President Taylor emphasized that the reestablishment of the Agriculture Cooperative Development Bank (ACDB) will empower women financially in the agriculture sector.
The forum, which brought together more than 50 women from the various counties, was organized by the African Capacity Building Foundation and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa in collaboration with the Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center (LIMPAC)
