RAMAT NEGEV, ISRAEL – More than 30 Liberian students pursuing advanced agricultural training at Israel’s renowned Ramat Negev Desert Agro-research and Business Center have issued a resolute endorsement of the agriculture pillar of Liberia’s flagship ARREST Agenda.
Among the students were Joseph Sackie, Augustine Mulbah, Joanna Kollie and Moses Flomo, who described the sector as the bedrock of the nation’s future prosperity.
The students, who are from different learning institutions in Liberia, disclosed that their exposure to state-of-the-art farming technologies has profoundly reinforced their conviction that agriculture is a transformative engine for economic growth, job creation, and long-term food self-sufficiency.
Speaking during an ELBC interview with Liberian journalists in Israel on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, they underscored that the innovative irrigation systems, drought-resistant crop varieties, and sustainable land management practices they are mastering in Israel’s Negev Desert hold direct, replicable value for Liberia’s tropical climate and agrarian communities.
The Ramat Negev Center, located in Israel’s arid southern region, is globally recognized for its pioneering research in dryland agriculture, making it an ideal training ground for students from developing nations seeking practical solutions to climate and food challenges.
They stressed that agriculture is not merely a rural livelihood but a strategic national asset capable of driving industrialization and reducing import dependency.
“What we are learning here is not theoretical; it is practical, scalable, and life-changing,” one student representative stated.
The scholars expressed an eagerness to collaborate with Liberian government agencies, agricultural extension services, and local farmers upon their return.
They pledged to serve as conduits for knowledge transfer, offering technical expertise in areas ranging from precision farming and water conservation to post-harvest management and agro-tech entrepreneurship.
“We see clearly that if Liberia commits the same level of ingenuity and investment to its farms and agribusinesses, we can feed our people, create dignified jobs, and build a resilient economy from the ground up,” they added.
Beyond their technical commitments, the students appealed to their fellow Liberians, both at home and abroad, to set aside political and social divisions and rally behind the government’s broader development vision.
They called for a collective, grassroots movement that prioritizes food security, environmental stewardship, and rural empowerment as shared national goals.
“The ARREST Agenda is not a slogan; it is a roadmap. But no roadmap works without the will of the people,” the students added.
The Ramat Negev Center, located in Israel’s arid southern region, is globally recognized for its pioneering research in dryland agriculture, making it an ideal training ground for students from developing nations seeking practical solutions to climate and food challenges.
The Liberian students’ backing of the ARREST Agenda signals a growing diaspora of skilled professionals ready to channel international expertise into national revival.