Farmers blame govt. for lack of support

Farmers in rural Liberia have accused the Government for failure to provide them basic tools or implements to carry out their farming activities.

The farmers expressed frustration in the Unity Party-led government for doing nothing to improve their standard of life throughout the 15 counties.

They said if national government really knew what farmers are capable of contributing to the society, it would prioritize their plight by cooperating fully.

The farmers made the assertion Tuesday, January 6, 2015 when they paid a visit to Monrovia from Greenville, Sinoe County to congratulate Senator-elect, J. Milton Teahjay.

According to them, after her inauguration, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf promised to have improved farmers’ lives, but she has done nothing, adding, “Farming activities in every country is important, because it’s something that brings development to the country.”

The group said the essence of supporting farmers is to help boost the agriculture sector in any country, noting that, agriculture is the bedrock for any economy.

A spokesperson for the group of farmers, Madam Cecelia Tarpeh, said the purpose for their visit to Monrovia is to meet the Sinoe County Senator-elect, Teahjay, and present to him their plight on how difficult farming work is without proper tools.

Madam Tarpeh said Government has a responsibility to provide farmers in the country necessary tools that will make their work easy.

She named tools that are needed urgently such as wheelbarrows, cutlasses, hooks, and ricks, among others.

She pointed out that Government officials often blame farmers for not doing much in terms of food production, but countered that the problem is with the government, and not from the farmers, saying, “Government has failed to support we the farmers.”

“We don’t want to call on them again, because they have not come to our aid”, she added.

However, Madam Tarpeh said the people of Sinoe County strongly believe in the leadership of Senator-elect Teahjay respond to their needs.

Liberia is yet to advance to mechanized farming, as farmers here heavily rely on subsistence farming with food produced in a farming period insufficient to take them to the next season.

By Lewis S. Teh