By Aaron B. Nemah
MARYLAND COUNTY, LIBERIA – The Maryland Rural Women Farmers Association (MRWFA), a non-profit organization, recently petitioned local authorities to address critical issues impacting farmers in the county.
The association expressed its commitment to prioritizing agriculture under President Joseph Boakai’s Agenda for Change. However, they voiced concerns that the promises made during the recent elections regarding agricultural enhancement have not been fulfilled.
During a presentation of the petition on Saturday, September 28, 2024, Mrs. Phelicia Towalid, President of the Advocacy Awareness for the MRWFA, stated, “The Maryland Rural Women Farmers Association is one of the largest farmer groups organized in the county. We, the women farmers of Maryland, face significant agricultural challenges that hinder our activities. These impediments prevent our products, including cassava, rice, cocoa, pineapple, and other food crops, from achieving commercial value. The lack of storage facilities is a major obstacle.”
She emphasized the need for a processing plant to add value to their products, such as producing flour from cassava, polishing rice, and creating chocolate from cocoa. Additionally, she mentioned the necessity of an open market system to ensure a demand for their products.
In her remarks, Mrs. Towalid acknowledged the importance of support from key government officials and philanthropists in the county. She urged Maryland Senator J. Gblebo Brown, Pleebo District #2 Representative Hon. Anthony F. Williams, District #1 Lawmaker Hon. P. Mark Jurey, and District #3 Lawmaker Hon. Austin B. Taylor to address these urgent needs by providing storage facilities and grinding machines for local farmers to enhance agriculture in Maryland County and beyond.
Madam Towalid reiterated her call for the Liberian government, led by President Boakai, along with NGOs and philanthropists, to make agricultural tools available that would enable farmers to produce a larger scale of commodities for the Liberian market.
