In order to improve the country's economy in the production of sufficient rice and other products, the Chinese Government has assured the Liberian Government that it would establish an Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center (ATDC) in Liberia shortly.

Making the disclosure early this week in Monrovia the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Chris Toe said the Chinese Government gave the assurance in 2006, following the Liberian Government's presentation as a result of their visit in China.

In an interview with this paper, he said when the center is built in the country, the Chinese will demonstrate and educate Liberian farmers how they could use the equipment and how they could also ably improve productivity in the country. He boasted that with this new development, Liberia will commercialize its products within the period of three years.

According to him, the ATDC that would be established in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture will be one of seven centers that the Chinese Government intends to build in several parts of Africa.

Dr. Toe disclosed that the Ellen-led government has plans to establish an agriculture mechanization unit in each county, where a minimum number of equipment would be used for land development and processing to add value and improve the farming system in the country.

In a relaxed mood the Agriculture boss said he sees more than a possibility for the country to sustain itself with rice in the period of five years. He said next year, this government will do more than what they did in 2007 as it contemplates to start a new project to improve the farming sector in the country.

The Minister also reiterated the Libyan Government's interest to start a US$30 million worth of project in the country, with its focus on rice production. "We hope that within two to three years, we will be able to produce more than half of the amount of rice that we need in this country. We are working on that project," he added.

Still not satisfied, Dr. Toe said there is another group that is very serious to assist the country in rice production, "and that group is basically those people that are helping us to import rice, who will now be helping us to grow rice. So, I believe that before this administration is over, Liberia will see for the first time the commercial production of rice in this country."

Minister Toe said if Liberia starts rice production in 2008, within the period of five years, the country would have been able to produce rice to feed itself. He said land is available in the country and so they will design a strategy by which their partners will not just focus on their project sites, but will extend to other areas for development.

He pointed out that in 2007, their shortcomings had been their failure to execute, but stated that the government has to look at their partners, which it sees as the third party in the implementation of growing the private sector.

According to him, if the government does not grow the private sector, it will not succeed, adding "agriculture is a private business and government is only there to oversee."

Source: The Inquirer News