The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with Liberia's Agriculture and Internal Affairs Ministries, has initiated a project aimed at enhancing the capabilities of smallholder vegetable producers. This endeavor, part of the FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme to the Government of Liberia, spans 24 months, beginning January 1, 2024, and concluding on December 31, 2025, with a budget of US$499,000. The project's objective is to bolster the productivity of 500 smallholder vegetable growers, predominantly women, across five counties: Lofa, Bong, Nimba, Bomi, and Gbarpolu.
FAO Country Representative to Liberia, Madam Bintia Stephen Tchicaya, highlighted that the project would focus on a variety of both indigenous and exotic vegetables, including peppers, bitter balls, cabbage, tomato, watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, potato, yam, ginger, and onion. Additionally, it aims to promote the intercropping of legumes such as groundnut and cowpea to improve soil fertility management. This initiative is expected to not only increase production and productivity but also provide a sustainable income source and promote nutritional diversity through diet diversification for smallholder producers.
Source: frontpageafricaonline.com
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
