By: Staff Writer
Agro Tech Liberia, an agriculture development organization promoting and creating awareness around the sustainable development goal #2 has launched a nationwide one-month campaign duped ‘Let Feed Us Campaign’.
The campaign is an annual public engagement activity carried out by the organization to create awareness around Liberia food system aimed at attracting necessary interest and attention in line with the global Sustainable Development Goals, Principle for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems, Maputo and Malabo Declarations, Liberia Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (LASIP), and pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development.
The campaign which is expected to run for the month of January 2023, according to the Lead Campaigner, Jonathan S. Stewart, Agro Tech believes that these agriculture and food system development frameworks developed by the global, regional, and national policymaking bodies are well comprehensive, ambitious and inclusive but however have been placed on the shelves for decades with minimum action taken by many of the nations including Liberia.
L-R (Lead Campaigner, Jonathan S. Stewart And The Flyer With The Messages )
In this regard, the organization has launched this called “Let Feed Us Campaign” to call national and local leaders, business community, academics and civil society organization attention to making the issue of right and access to food a national priority item in the economic and social development agenda and processes.
Mr. Stewart however disclosed that the engagement will take place nationwide through established structures of food system actors and grassroots-based agriculture organizations interested in and contributing to the fight against hunger in Liberia.
“There will be series of activities targeting all Liberian as the issue of food concerns everyone, individual and collective action must be taken to make Liberia food self-sufficient”, he stated.
Mr. Stewart stated that with a 33.3 percent score on Global Hunger Index, 38.5 undernutrition and Liberia being amongst countries of the highest stunting rate in the region, Liberians must see and do agriculture differently with a mind of emergency and business opportunity.
He also indicated that the low interest from the public as regard to the food production system is due to the lack of access to relevant information on the status of Liberia food security and the opportunities for investment in the agriculture sector for entrepreneurs and farmers.
The organization has embarked on the campaign to ensure that youth perception about agriculture becomes positive, public policy and programs for the agriculture sector is increased; that Liberia experience increase in local food production (availability, access and affordability) and public knowledge on agriculture as a business is increased.
