By Elbie Sebleh
MONROVIA: Ahead of the implementation of ARREST Agenda by the Government of Liberia, the Minister of Agriculture, Alexander Nueteh, has decried the low staffers capacity at his ministry.
Minister Nueteh outlined that the low number of staffers is one of the current challenges he has been faced with since he took over the affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to him, the human resource capacity is in “deprivation”, as current staffers capacity is three hundred seventy-three (373) now on active payroll.
He explained that of 373, one hundred, seventeen (173) persons are” currently up for retirement.” This means, after said retirement is carried out, the number of active employees at the ministry will be two hundred (200).
The Agriculture Minister further indicated that the shortage of staffers also affects district agriculture officers, (now 47) while the Ministry is in dire need of at least 100 district agriculture officers for assignment across all districts in Liberia.
He also stressed that the Agriculture Ministry is lacking sufficient clan agriculture technicians.
He stressed that currently, there is no clan agricultural technician at the Ministry and that the MOA is also in need of three hundred technicians (300).
On the other hand, the current number of specialists (regional agriculture officers) is ten (10) while the MOA is in need of sixty (60) regional agriculture officers.
Meanwhile, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Agriculture, with technical support from its partners, is currently formulating the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) that will guide the sector over the next six years.
According to him, when completed, the NADP will not only direct government’s investments in agriculture, but also provide guidance for development partners’ engagement in agriculture development in Liberia.
He explained that within the framework of the NADP, Liberia will adopt a value-chain approach to developing the several subsectors of the country’s agriculture economy.
