Liberia: Rep.Tokpa Wants Gov’t Adhere to Malabo Declaration

 Nimba County Representative, Prince Tokpa has expressed a stronger need for the Liberian government to ensure priority towards the 10 percent budget for agriculture.

Topka's position comes as Liberia and other African nations' performance for agriculture and food and nutrition security is being reviewed in line with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Malabo framework.

The CAADP Malabo food security framework calls for every African government to allot 10 percent of their total national budget annually for agriculture to reduce poverty and create employment for the citizens in members’ countries.

Tokpa who is the Chair on the House Committee  for Agriculture and Fisheries raised the concern recently during the launch of the new agricultural extension policy for Liberia and the Central Agriculture Research Institute strategic document plan by stakeholders.

“We are committed to seeing that agriculture can be prioritized in the national budget. But this still remains a serious challenge. We need the political will to make sure that agriculture can be improved through the national budget,” he said.

According to Tokpa, there have been several discussions at the level of the Legislature on how the country can make mechanization possible for the agriculture sector. 

However, he said that the leaders of Liberia have since lacked the political will to ensure that 10 percent of the national budget is allotted for agriculture. 

The lawmaker added that  he and other colleagues have been lobbying for the 10 percent budget for agriculture, but to no avail. 

Liberia became a signatory to the CAADP Malabo agriculture, food, and nutrition security framework in 2003, referred to as the Maputo Declaration.

After a decade, the policy was revised to what is considered today the Malabo Declaration for “Accelerate Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods.” 

Liberia, like many other African countries, recommitted to the framework, after realizing poor performance in agriculture, but unfortunately, agricultural productivity is still lacking in Liberia.

Meanwhile,  Topka had disclosed that the House had ratified the agro poultry industrial complex loan agreement submitted by President George Weah and that it is now before the Senate.

Weah had some days ago requested the legislature ratify the US$ 26 million agro-industrial poultry loan agreement. According to the President, the project aims to improve the agriculture sector through the construction of an industrial poultry facility that will consist of an integrated egg farm, including a feed mill, an egg packing station, a workshop center, and other necessary units.