[Gbarnga, Bong County – November 9, 2024] – The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has officially kicked off an essential training program for beneficiaries in the Emergency Rice Production Offensive (ERPO) project, a flagship initiative aimed at boosting rice yields and strengthening food security across Liberia. Hosted at the Central Agriculture Research Institute (CARI) in Bong County, the training program is designed to provide farmers with critical technical expertise to meet the ambitious production targets outlined by the ERPO project.

Launched in early 2023 and funded by the African Development Bank, the ERPO project is being piloted in Bong, Gbarpolu, Margibi, and Montserrado counties. With plans to cultivate 1,694 hectares of lowland rice, the project is expected to yield 2,000 metric tons of clean rice—a substantial step forward in bolstering Liberia’s food supply.

Assistant Agriculture Minister for Technical Services and ERPO technical focal point, Zogbo Luther, underscored the training’s importance for the nation’s agricultural sustainability. “We’re empowering farmers with essential practices such as land preparation, destumping, water management, and irrigation to maximize output each growing season,” Luther stated. “The farmers have already shown notable progress, and we are fully committed to supporting them in achieving their targets.”

Minister Luther highlighted that 140 farmers across the four counties are involved, with 61 in Bong, 37 in Margibi, 14 in Gbarpolu, and 28 in Montserrado. She emphasized the Ministry’s dedication to maintaining momentum through regular monitoring and evaluation to meet project objectives.

The training sessions cover all stages of rice farming, including land preparation, irrigation, nursery-to-harvest management, fertilizer application, and post-harvest loss prevention. In addition to expert-led training, participating farmers receive unprecedented government support including improved seed varieties, fertilizers, herbicides, and financial assistance of up to US$1,000 per hectare.

Farmers have hailed the support as transformative. Wayfa F. Ciapha, CEO of the Grow Liberia Sonoyea Women Farmers Network Cooperatives, who expanded her cultivation to 25 hectares—exceeding initial plans by 10 hectares—praised the initiative: “This is the first time the government has empowered us with both resources and training to boost food production. We stand with the government in its mission for a food-secure Liberia.”

Following the Bong County launch, the training program will extend to beneficiaries in Margibi, Gbarpolu, and Montserrado counties.

The ERPO project is a cornerstone of Liberia’s National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP), representing a major stride toward achieving food self-sufficiency and economic growth. By providing farmers with high-quality inputs and comprehensive training, the initiative drives progress toward the NADP’s ambitious objective of cultivating 50,000 hectares of lowland rice over five years. This effort aims to decrease reliance on rice imports and address vital food security concerns in the country.