Maryland Youths Seek More Support for Rice Production…

By: Bryan Dioh|Maryland County Correspondent

Harper, Maryland County –Friday, May 23, 2025- The Maryland Youth Association is calling for increased support to enhance rice production in the county. The group cited the need for farming equipment to scale up their operations and contribute meaningfully to food security in Liberia.

Speaking to reporters in the area, the president of the group, Melvin Weah, emphasized the group’s commitment to complementing the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture in boosting local food production.

He warned that without timely intervention and access to the needed tools, their vision and goal for fighting food security will not be realized.

“We have a dream to help make Maryland County self-sufficient in food production, particularly rice; but that dream is at risk without adequate equipment to support our work,” Weah said.

According to him, the association has already secured 15 acres of farmland, segmented into 28 plots designated for rice cultivation.

However, processing the harvested rice remains a challenge due to a lack of machinery.

“In just one week, we harvested at least 625 kilograms of rice, but we are struggling to process it. We need a power tiller for swamp preparation, rain boots, and a mini rice processing machine,”.

He lamented that members of the association are doing all works manually in the wake seeking support for modern equipment to enhance production.

The leader of the group stressed that the association aims to distribute rice to vulnerable communities, including the disabled and other underprivileged groups.

“Our vision is not just about farming—it’s about giving back. We want to provide rice to the less fortunate and institutions in need,” he added.

He expressed gratitude to the local office of the Ministry of Agriculture for providing the initial seed rice that enabled them to launch the project.

The government of Liberia has prioritized agriculture as a key pillar of national development, with a focus on achieving food self-sufficiency. As calls for sector-wide improvement grow louder, many are hopeful that more grassroots farming initiatives like that of the Maryland Youth Association will receive the necessary support to succeed.

Edited by Esau J. Farr |Sub-Editor