The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a training program in Power Tiller Operation, Management and Maintenance.

Funded by the Danish Government, the project is intended to provide requisite training to rural women farmers in Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties to enable them specialize in the efficient operations, management and maintenance of power tiller machines and other agro-equipment.

The DANIDA project, titled, "Improved Food Security and Nutrition through Economic Empowerment of Women: is in response to the Global Food Crisis and medium-term priorities of the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). It is also a Joint Programme on Food Security and Nutrition developed by the Government of Liberia and the United Nations System.

Performing the launching ceremonies at CARI in Suakoko, Bong County at the start of three separate training sessions, Acting Agriculture Minister, James Logan attributed the realization of the project to efforts made by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to mitigate the global food crisis in Liberia.

He stated that the project will ultimately lesson the burden of women who continue to play a critical role in agriculture development, thereby farm acreages and production will increase.

The Officer-In-Charge, Assistant FAO Representative for Programme, Mr. Joseph K. Boiwu thanked the Government and People of Denmark for responding positively to the Liberian Government's request to support women related activities in agriculture.

He also thanked the partners including the Ministries of Agriculture, Gender and Development, UNDP, WFP, UNIFEM, UNICEF, UNMIL, WHO, World Bank, USAID and IFAD for their unwavering support to agriculture development in Liberia.

Mr. Boiwu who gave an historical perspective of the project, challenged the women farmers to utilize the power tillers with care so that optimum results can be achieved.

Also speaking, Bong County Superintendent, Ranney B. Jackson thanked the FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture for selecting Bong as one of the three counties benefiting from the project.

He assured the donors and other partners that all will be done to increase food production through the proficient use of inland valleys and swamps so that the issue of which county is the bread basket in Liberia will be unquestionable as Bong County is ready to take the lead.

The Project Consultant, Mr. Emmanuel Vah who gave the workshop overview said the DANIDA project has a caseload of 7,961 beneficiaries comprising 43 women groups in the rural women structure of Bong, Lofa and Nimba.

These beneficiaries will be trained to efficiently manage and operate the machines, both in production and processing, Mr. Vah concluded.

The training began September 3 – 19, in Bong County; while in Nimba County the training will run from September 10 – 26; whereas in Lofa County the training starts September 21 and ends October 7, 2009.