Farmers in Liberia's Wanhassa District are issuing an urgent plea to the government for assistance. скачать в хорошем качестве

Farmers in Liberia's Wanhassa District are issuing an urgent plea to the government for assistance.

Farmers in Liberia's Wanhassa District are issuing an urgent plea to the government for assistance, as severe flooding, exacerbated by the recent construction of the Fongoda Dam, has laid waste to vast expanses of agricultural land and threatened their very livelihoods. The situation, unfolding across the fertile lands along the upper reaches of the Kaha River, has reached crisis levels. According to affected farmers, the catastrophic inundation directly correlates with the construction of the Fongoda Dam this year by the Ministry of Agriculture, transforming once productive fields into submerged landscapes. Essential cash crops and staple foods, including cocoa, coffee, rice, and assorted vegetables, have all succumbed to the rising waters, pushing farming communities to the brink. Margret Jusu, a distraught farmer from Mbalotahun, articulated the profound impact: "Since the Ministry of Agriculture constructed the dam on the Kaha River this year, our entire swamp land has been inundated. This land is crucial for our farming and sustenance, but now we have nothing to work with." Her words underscore the complete disruption to traditional farming practices that support countless families. The emotional toll is equally evident in the words of Joseph Momo, whose cocoa farm, his sole source of income, has been largely swallowed by the floods. Speaking through tears, Mr. Momo lamented, "This farm is my only source of income. It helps me send my children to school and buy food. I am calling on the government to help us reduce some of this water or provide support because we feel lost." His plea highlights the immediate and devastating economic consequences for families reliant on agriculture. Dawuda Jallah, a lifelong resident of Bolahun, expressed a sense of unprecedented disaster. "In my entire life, I have never seen a flood like this. The dam has completely covered all my gardens," he stated, reinforcing the belief among locals that the dam is the direct cause of the unusual severity of the floods. He, too, urged the government to come to the aid of the struggling farmers. Another affected farmer, Salay Harris, shared his heartbreak over the destruction of his lowland farm: "I have worked tirelessly, only to see everything washed away. If the government cannot assist us, my family and I will be left with nothing." Mr. Harris's desperation encapsulates the broader fear of destitution facing hundreds of families. Independent investigations and on-site visits conducted by this Magazine confirmed the widespread devastation. Much of the agricultural land bordering the Kaha River is submerged, impacting communities across at least seven distinct towns: Majortahun, Koilahun, Yangbelabun, Bolahun, Mbalotahun, Kpangehamba, and Kamada town.