The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) convened its first Agriculture Coordination Committee (ACC) meeting on Monday, August 26, 2024, after several months of dormancy. This meeting aimed to discuss recent achievements and challenges within the agricultural sector, bringing together various sub-sectors, farmer organizations, and development partners.
Organized by the Department for Planning and Development through its Agricultural Sector Coordination Division, the meeting provided a central platform for aligning agricultural development activities with national objectives. The division plays a key role in connecting the MOA with sector stakeholders and development partners, ensuring that all efforts are effectively coordinated.
The meeting emphasized the need to reestablish regular sector coordination meetings, which had been inactive for some time. Deputy Minister for Planning and Development, Hon. David K. Akoi, welcomed participants on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, stressing the importance of strong coordination for the successful implementation of the "Liberians Feed Yourselves Agenda," as outlined in the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP).
Deputy Minister Akoi noted that the high turnout of participants reflected a spirited assurance to advancing the NADP over the next five years “I’m happy today by the fact we have a very good attendance which shows that we are ready to move agriculture to the next level. We want to make sure that we align all developments for agriculture with the NADP,” he stated.
He further assured stakeholders that the Ministry is dedicated to ensuring that all agricultural programs and projects are accountable and effectively managed.
Providing an overview of the ACC’s background and activities, the Director of Sector Coordination, Peter D. Gbawoquiya, highlighted the importance of reactivating the ACC meetings to maintain the sustainability of the sector's work. He called for active participation from all sectoral heads and their teams in regularly providing data to inform decisions that will drive the transformation of the agricultural sector.
Gbawoquiya explained, the sub-sectors have been organized into various working groups that will meet regularly to address key issues in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.
During the meeting, participants identified several critical challenges that must be addressed to advance agricultural development. Key issues raised included the need for increased financial support, improvements in extension services, and the provision of additional inputs, among others.