MONROVIA, Liberia – The Government of Liberia (GoL) through Foreign Minister Gbehzongar Milton Findley has pleaded with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to assist Liberia in ensuring that various fruits and food imported to or produced in Liberia are safe for human consumption, as well as for the FAO to also assist the country in the production of the country’s staple, rice.
According to a Foreign Ministry press release, on 16 January 2019, FAO Representative to Liberia Ms. Mariztou Njie paid a courtesy visit on Foreign Minister Findley to hold further discussions surrounding the GOL plea to the FAO.
During the visit Foreign Minister Findley reemphasized the George Weah-led government’s concern about the quality of food Liberians consume as the backdrop for which the GoL made a request to the FAO to assist in the areas of food safety and rice production.
Minister Findley said people do not know the safety level of food they eat and that government is concerned about such including the quality of water the citizens drink, stressing that this was the key reasons for the request from government to the FAO.
The Liberian Foreign Minister told Ms. Njie that government looks forward to support from the FAO in the various areas in which the request was made.
For her part, FAO Representative Ms. Njie said following the request by the Government of Liberia, the FAO has already initiated talks with the Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce and Industries on the matter.
Madam Njie said the FAO is currently engaging the relevant actors in getting first-hand information on the extent of the situation and the support that could be rendered.
