Rural Women Farmers In Maryland Amplify Call For Storage Facility

By Langston Joe Wilson, LINA Maryland County Correspondent

 Maryland County Rural Women Farmers Association, an auxiliary of the National Rural Women Organization of Liberia has sent out a passionate call to the Government of Liberia, partners and philanthropists, stressing the urgent need for the construction of storage facilities along with processing plant in the county to add commercial value to their products.

The women who organized themselves into groups across the county to boost the local economy through agricultural activities, said they depend on their local productions to sponsor their kids in school and cater to their families.

Making remarks at the observance of the Rural Women Advocacy Day held on September 28, 2024, in Maryland County, the Maryland County Rural Women President, Phelecia Twalid stated that despite the increased production of cassava, cocoa, cabbage, rice, eddoes pineapples and other vegetable crops, the lack of storage facilities and processors to transform their crops into finished products have over the years caused members of her organization huge financial losses.

Mrs. Twalid pointed out that the absence of proper storage and processing capabilities has hindered their ability to transform raw agricultural products into market-ready goods, leading to significant post-harvest losses.

She emphasized that these challenges have affected their income and ability to sustain their livelihoods over the years.

The Maryland Rural Women Farmers Executive added that the situation has compelled local farmers to sell their products at lower prices to avoid perishability.

Mrs. Twalid emphasized that if farmers must enjoy the fair share of their labor, there is a need to have a storage facility constructed in the county to mitigate the perishability of their crops.

However, she expressed disappointment in the county legislative caucus and the county-based office of the Ministry of Agriculture, adding that despite the number of appeals made over the years, there has been no concern shown on their part.

"We, the single mothers, this is what we do to send our children to school. So, it hurts us when our products rot in our hands because it takes us time to recover, Mrs. Martha Karly, head of the Try Your Best Women Farmers in Karluway District disclosed.

During the occasion, several women from Maryland's four political districts including Barrobo, Karluway, Harper and Pleebo buttressed the call by their leader by calling on the county's legislative caucus, Ministry of Agriculture and other humanitarian organizations to help build for them storage facilities, including processing plant and an established market to enable them to transform their crops into products that suit the market demand.

The Maryland Rural Women Farmers Association, with branches in various districts has cultivated several acres of land across the county to grow crops that respond to the consumable needs of the people in Maryland and neighboring counties.