Introduces 450 Tracycles to Local Farmers to ease transportation problems
Monrovia Liberia: The Ministry of Agriculture through the World Bank Project with Support from the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), has introduced 450 tricycles to enhance access to market and promote youth agricultural entrepreneurs in Lofa and other counties.
The initiative is aimed at easing transportation constraints for rural smallholder farmers, thus enabling them to commute their produce from one farm, village and town to another especially during raining seasons.
Farm-to-market roads in Liberia had been a serious challenge over the years posing significant barriers for small holder farmers especially after harvesting their produce in the rural areas.
The transportation difficulties of agricultural produce has also led to the increased post-harvest losses, thus restricting agricultural production and limited market access, eventually affecting food availability and farmers’ earnings.
However, the intervention made recently by the MOA cannot be unnoticed as Lofa County Focal Person, Levi Kpenkpa, disclosed that these tricycles are purposely going to enhance access to market and promote youth agricultural entrepreneurship as well as reduce transportation challenges and support the smallholder farmers in the sector.”
Kpenkpa mentioned that the initiative is under the support of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP), which highlights Youth involvement in agriculture; this he said can potentially lessen the challenges of food security and youth unemployment.
“This activity is also aimed at reducing rural poverty and hunger by enhancing market access for actors within the agricultural value chain while promoting youth agricultural entrepreneurship and sustainable employment,” he said.
According to him, beneficiaries of the tricycles will be selected based on specific criteria to ensure the initiative’s success.
“Applicants must be youth aged 18 to 35, reside within the community or village and have the ability to ride a motorbike or tricycle,” he noted.
They must also have a good reputation within the community, proven by elders, and have lived in the community for more than two years as selected youths must be willing to pay at least 40 percent of the tricycle’s purchase cost, either through equity or loans from financial institutions.
They must also commit to using the tricycle primarily for agricultural transportation and this selection process will focus on counties with high agricultural production and commercialization where road conditions are particularly poor,” he maintained.
He further clarified that the number of beneficiaries per county will be determined by the agricultural population and production capacity of staple crops like rice and cassava from 2019 to the present.
“For us in Lofa County, we received 68 tricycles while Bomi got 15, Bong 79, Gbarpolu 20, Grand Bassa 27, Grand Cape Mount 14, Grand Gedeh 18, Grand Kru 15, Margibi 13, Maryland 15, Montserrado 13, Nimba 105, Rivercess 14, River Gee 13, and Sinoe County 21,” Kpenkpa lamented.
“However, beneficiaries must agree to a transport equipment Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Agriculture, stipulating that at least 70 percent of the transported commodities must be agricultural products,” he disclosed.
Kpenkpa who is the Focal Person for MOA in Lofa County, narrated, these beneficiaries will also be required to complete a monthly commodity transport form, detailing the crops transported within a specific value chain.
He emphasized that interested individuals can apply by visiting the Ministry of Agriculture office right behind the administrative building and this also applies to other counties and the collection and submission of application forms is free adding that an online application form is also available for those who prefer to apply digitally and all qualified applicants will be contacted for the next phase of the selection process.
The initiative marks a significant step towards improving agricultural productivity and access to markets in that rural area, thus supporting rural smallholder farmers, and empowering the youth through sustainable employment opportunities.
Reported by: Simeon S. Wiakanty
Contact: +231881538878
