(Monrovia, March 19, 2021) As the Government of Liberia, through the MoA, moves from subsistence to mechanized farming to increase agricultural productivity across the country during this farming season, sixty power tillers and 60 single ridges have arrived in country.

According to a MOA release, the Sixty motorized water pumps are meant to supply water for vegetable farming also arrived.

“More so, 300 vegetable crates meant to stack vegetables fitted with ventilated designs for quick cooling, temperature control and drainage, impact and moisture resistance that will not splinter, rot or absorb odors also formed part of the new consignment”. It stated.

“When I was named Minister, I came with a vision to transform the sector from subsistence farming to mechanized. This plan was endorsed by His Excellency President George Manneh Weah and supported by donors”, Agriculture Minister Jeanine Milly Cooper said.

The ministry says funding to purchase those vital agro equipment was sourced from the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) under the ministry’s implemented Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project.

The funding, approved by the World Bank, is meant to support the MoA’s COVID-19 Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihood Plan formulated in April last year to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on the farming community.

A Power Tiller is a two-wheeled agricultural implement fitted with rotary tillers which gives a smooth resistance to all farm activities. It helps in preparing the soil, sowing seeds, planting seeds, adding & spraying the fertilizers, herbicides & water.

For the Single Ridge, known as walking tractor, is ideal for ploughing a single side creating a strip or heap soil in a row for seed bed preparation.

The machineries were accompanied with vital spare parts.

Meanwhile MOA says, More than 100 pieces of equipment to support cassava processing that include peelers and chipper/slicer, grater, patching pan, sifter, cassava hydraulic dehydrator and drum dryers are expected in the country within a month.

During the same period, the MoA says it expects over 200 pieces of rice threshers, winnowers, seed sorter, de stoner (for rice), platform weighing scale, hanging scale, stitching machine, stitching thread – polyester and rice mills.

Rice and cassava are Liberia’s primary and secondary staple food respectively.