LOFA COUNTRY, LIBERIA- A local Non for profit organization, Camp for Peace has dedicated a cassava plant to enhance agriculture activities in Salayea District, Lofa County.
The plant according the Executive Director of the organization, Able Learwellie will bring about the empowerment of young people in the district.
He said as a way of empowering the youth after training them is to ensure that they get involved in some agriculture activities.
Mr. Learwellie also disclosed that the construction and dedication of the plant will enable graduates of its vocational program to put to practice what they have learned.
“The plant in Salayea is a short range sustainable project to ensure that youths engage in agriculture” Mr. Learwellieadded”
The Executive Director further disclosed that the other cassava processing plant that was erected in Zorzor, Lofa County is yielding positive results.
The Camp for Peace Executive Director said that about 15 acres of land with cassava will be processed into farina for sale on the local market.
He said his organization is working on long and medium sustainable plan to ensure that youths remain to be proactive in the agriculture activities.
The project according to Mr. Leawearllie, the project targets more than 200 youths in the district
The Camp for Peace boss who is a developmental practitioner said development can only be achieved through practical steps and not only in advocacy.
“The approach to advocacy has to change to empower the people “, Learwellie indicated. He asserted that no advocacy can be sustained or maintained in the mist of poverty.
“That is my driving force initiating my organization agriculture program in Lofa”Learwellieadded.
Mr. Learwellie wants government and other partners assist his organization to improve its agriculture program.
The Camp for Peace Executive Director said, the newly dedicated processing machine can produce 150 bags of processed cassava a day.
He expressed his sincere appreciation to the people of Salayea Town, especially the local government, for giving them land for such an impactful project that will sustainably serve the local population of Salayea District.
Mr. Learwellie also encouraged youths to use this window of opportunity to transform their lives from excluded dependent to the inclusive citizenry.
The Liberian development practitionerused the occasion to express his sincere appreciation to the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and Steel Workers Humanity Fund of Canada for giving the grant.
“The total cost of the grant at USD 5,700 (USD 4,500 for equipment and USD 1,300 for the construction of the plant”
For his their part, the Commission and Paramount Chief of Salayea District, Ben K. Gorlema and Mamatouma Siryon expressed deep appreciation to Camp for Peace Liberia for the resiliency and courage to continue helping young people in the country.
Commissioner Gorlema thanked the donors for making such a grant available for development purposes for Liberian Youth in Salayea and Zorzor Districts.
He alsoencouraged the youth to put all the strategies in place to make maximum use of the equipment and work very hard to make their lives better.
The Salayea District Commissioner encouraged farmers to embark on cassava planting as one of the fastest ways to make money and enhance food security.
Speaking on behalf of the group the president, Mr. Elijah Varney said that their worries about their cassava farms are over.
“We have planted over 10 acres of cassava, and have been worried about how we would process it, “Now with the dedication of these machines, we are relieved of our worries, lamented the president”. Varney said
The beneficiaries spoke person thanked Camp for Peace Liberia and the donors for making the fund available.
