The Liberian Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in collaboration with the Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP) has presented a brand new 75 Horsepower tractor and three Yamaha motorbikes to the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) in Suakoko, Bong County.
The Operations Manager of the RETRAP, Tarnue N. Jeke who disclosed this during the presentation of the equipment said the support was meant to strengthen the institutional capacity of CARI.
In his words, “On behalf of the Ministry, the MOA will always work with CARI to improve its capacity.
“We are partners in this sector with the same desire to drive our beneficiaries in the direction of good agriculture practices and climate-smart agriculture that will see their productivity increase and earn them more income.
“For us to achieve that, institutions, like CARI, involved with studying and recommending ways that our farmers can improve their activities need to be fully supported. That is why we, as a development partner with funding from the World Bank and through the Ministry of Agriculture, are here to provide additional support to the research institute.”
He also admonished the administration of CARI to properly maintain the equipment to ensure it serves the institute for a longer period.
Receiving the equipment on behalf of CARI, the Administrative Assistant to the Director General Sundesco Clarke said, “For more than ten years, CARI has not had access to such a brand-new tractor. To compound that dilemma, the only tractor at the institute is facing a serious mechanical fault that has caused a major breakdown in our operations. This could not have come at a better time.
“CARI is excited that there was now a solution to the problem of tilling the soil as the result of the availability of the tractor and pledged the institution’s commitment to maintaining the equipment.”
