Sanniquellie, Nimba County – The Volunteers for Sustainable Development in Africa (VOSIEDA), a nonprofit organization committed to empowering small-scale farmers in Nimba County, Liberia, concluded its third Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting in Sanniquellie, Nimba County. The meeting focused on reviewing progress, discussing current project implementation, conducting a field visit to the beneficiary community of Gbedin, and strategizing next steps for their climate-smart agriculture initiative.
By Franklin Doloquee, Nimba County
The meeting was chaired by Mr. George Mahtia, Agriculture Coordinator for Sanniquellie Mah District, representing the County Agriculture Ministry, which co-chairs the committee. Mr. Mahtia, using parliamentary procedure, called the meeting to order and explained its purpose, emphasizing that the PSC convenes twice a year to review the work done by the project team, steering committee, and farmers’ groups.
Reporting on behalf of the project team, Mrs. Abigail F. Coker, Project Manager, highlighted that the project, now in its second year, has expanded to new communities. She noted that the project continues to strengthen rural communities’ resilience to climate change, promote sustainable agricultural productivity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector. Through its Farmer Field School program, farmers are encouraged to consolidate their farming activities in one location to reduce deforestation and are trained in organic farming methods, such as compost preparation, to discourage the use of chemical fertilizers.
In addition to farming activities, the project has organized enterprises and savings groups for women and youths to increase income and improve livelihoods. However, Mrs. Coker also pointed out challenges such as the high dependency on handouts and the duplication of interventions within communities. She urged the committee and development partners to work together to foster behavioral change among farmers and address the issue of overlapping interventions.
Mrs. Coker also announced key upcoming activities, including the completion and dedication of rice and cassava processing facilities, development and registration of farmers’ cooperatives, a farmers’ exchange program, and a climate forum.
Madam Yah Belleh Suah, Gender Coordinator for Nimba County, expressed gratitude to VOSIEDA for keeping the county leadership informed about project activities. She reported that during a field visit, the committee addressed land issues and encouraged local farmers to take ownership of the project, emphasizing the significant benefits they stand to gain. She noted that the project’s gender activities have fostered greater unity among men and women. Madam Suah further expressed hope that farmers would continue implementing climate-smart agricultural practices even after the project concludes.
Attendees of the PSC meeting emphasized the importance of all stakeholders coming together to support the government’s agricultural agenda, noting that achieving this would prevent food shortages in Liberia. Among the attendees was Mr. Jenkins Flahwor, Program Officer for Environment & Climate Change at the Swedish Embassy in Monrovia, the project’s sponsor. In his remarks, Mr. Flahwor praised VOSIEDA for the impactful role of the PSC, stating, “Having heard the impact of the committee, I’m impressed and will share this experience with other program officers who might want to replicate what we are doing as it sustains impact.” He also reaffirmed the Embassy’s continued support for efforts to reduce deforestation and create alternative sustainable livelihoods in Liberia.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Farmers’ Representative Rachel Suah thanked VOSIEDA, the Swedish Embassy, and the Government of Liberia for their support, particularly for women farmers who have long suffered from the effects of climate change. She affirmed the community’s commitment to ensuring the project’s success and to adopting sustainable practices, such as increasing farm sizes, applying new techniques, and adding value to crops to transition from subsistence to commercial farming.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the offices of the Superintendent, Development, Agriculture, Ministry of Gender, Environment Protection Agency, Forest Development Agency, Liberia Land Authority, civil society organizations, farmers’ representatives, the Swedish Embassy, and VOSIEDA members of the Project Steering Committee.
For his part, VOSIEDA Team Lead Timothy Kortu thanked all stakeholders for their contributions and reaffirmed VOSIEDA’s commitment to promoting prosperity, reducing extreme poverty, and strengthening peace and stability in Africa. “With more support, together we can achieve sustainable development,” he said.
