Agro Tech Liberia will this week convene an Open Data Day event in Paynesville to create awareness of the importance to produce and use credible data in solving social problems in the context of food security in Liberia.
The Executive Director of the institution, Jonathan Stewart in a social media post recently disclosed that “In development planning, data provide the basis and relevance of an intervention. It supports reasons why a specific action must be taken in the interest of change in social conditions and livelihoods”, he said.
As it relates to food security, “we cannot plan or invest in food system when we do not have an agriculture information management system that avails quality and credible data for all actors to use in the design of development intervention, establish or expand investment or promote investment alternatives”, he discloses.
According to him, Liberia has an uphill task in the fight against hunger; with the current food security infrastructure, it is believed that Liberia stands in a comfortable space in terms of fragility and vulnerabilities.
He called on the Liberian Government to take appropriate actions by building an inclusive and diverse resilience strategy that inspires actions from every spectrum of the society-academia, private sector, civil society, policymakers, and innovation.
Mr. Stewart, he believes transforming Liberia’s food system should be factored on inclusion, technology, business mindset, effective and credible data(information) management system, and agriculture infrastructure development.
Mr. Stewart, hold the view that feeding ‘oneself’ can only be achieved with a realization that the country must know where they are, what to do and how to do it(strategic plan) in a SMART manner.
“Our actions can start with taking stocks of everything and providing that information in an open manner to all actors and people with vested interests, Data-driven development,” he said.
Reported By: Timothy R. Yoko
