FAO Donates US$34,000 Equipment to Cuttington

United Nations  Food and Agriculture Organization ()FAO, has donated  farming equipment valued over US$35,000 to the College of Agriculture  and Integrated Development Studies of  the Cuttington  University in Suakoko , Bong County.

Items donated include three rice processing machines, liquid fertilizers, bird bells, axes, shovels zinc and an assortment of  basic farming implements.  The donation is part of the FAO’s agriculture sector support program in Liberia.

Making the presentation Thursday ,  the Administrator  of  FAO-Liberia  Cheick  Ousmane  Toore,   said the organization’s intervention  at the agriculture  college is in response to earlier request by  the institution for assistance  to   enhance  the practical demonstration  of its agriculture students.

He said the  FAO  will  continue collaborating with the  Agriculture College depending on funding  to promote  the culture of excellence among  students  studying agriculture so the sector  can realize  a  flow  of  trained   professionals to transform  the country’s agriculture sector.

Mr. Toore  urged the students to make maximum  use of the tools to improve  their practical  knowledge  on the usage  of the various  farming  implements because they  have a huge  task to perform  ahead upon graduation.

He stressed that the FAO remains supportive of the agriculture sector of Liberia in various aspects to ensure an accelerated economic recovery process through the empowerment of local farmers to alleviate poverty and create income generating alternatives for rural dwellers.

Receiving the tools on behalf of  the  college, its dean  Dr. Gary Lake, lauded the  United Nations Food and Agriculture Agency for the generosity, which he  said  will help to strengthen  practical  and technical  component of the Agriculture College.

Dr.  Lake described the donation as timely, which will immensely buttress the ongoing transformation process at the institution to ensure academic excellence among students majoring in agriculture.

He said to ensure an immediate utilization of the equipment, about 30 senior students on research project are being listed to become the first batch of beneficiaries of the donation to enable them conduct research with ease.  The agriculture college dean assured that a proper management system would be put in place to guide the usage of the tools.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lake  has disclosed plans  for the construction  of a   center  of excellence  in agriculture education in Liberia at  the Cuttington  University through  a  USAID grant under the Excellence in Higher Education  for Liberian Development program.