Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) Promote informed journalism and public engagement on agricultural and environmental nalists Network (LAEJN)
By Josiah Pailay
Email: [email protected] | Tel: +231881913880 / +231775260307
In Telta Town, a farming community situated in Bong County, central Liberia, climate change is not just a distant scientific concept—it is a lived reality, particularly for smallholder farmers. Farmers in this community are experiencing an unprecedented shift in weather patterns, marked by unseasonal heat and delayed rains, threatening livelihoods and food security.
Traditionally, May signals the start of Liberia’s reliable rainy season, critical for planting staple crops like rice, okra, and cabbage. But in 2025, the rains had not come. Instead, a punishing heatwave persists, leaving fields cracked and dusty, and local farmers uncertain about the future.
“We cleared our farm in March and were ready to plant this May, but we couldn’t broadcast the rice due to the sun,” explained Alice Gbanyan, a local farmer. “The ground is too dry. We’re afraid to put our seeds in because there’s no sign of rain.”
Another farmer, Sumo Suanikolo, added, “We depend on farming to feed our families and send our children to school. But with this sunshine, everything is dying.”
These personal testimonies underscore a broader, systemic problem: climate variability is rapidly disrupting traditional farming calendars across Liberia, with rural communities like Telta Town bearing the brunt of its impact. The delayed onset of rains, despite this being the official rainy season, is indicative of shifting climate patterns that are already compromising the predictability essential to subsistence agriculture.
The situation in Telta Town is not an isolated case but a warning signal of deeper vulnerabilities in Liberia’s agricultural system. Over 300 farmers in this town alone are currently grappling with drought-like conditions that threaten their food supply, incomes, and overall community well-being.
The economic ripple effects are significant. With agriculture serving as the main livelihood for rural populations, any disruption in crop production directly affects household income, school attendance for children, and local food prices. The persistent drought is likely to lead to reduced yields, greater food insecurity, and increased rural poverty unless timely interventions are made.
One of the striking revelations from the farmers is the lack of consistent engagement from the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and other agricultural stakeholders.
“We’ve been suffering in silence. MOA staff don’t reach us easily in this bush,” said Alice Gbanyan. “But now that you’ve come, we hope our voices will be heard.”
This lack of institutional presence in rural areas points to deeper governance and infrastructural issues that hinder the delivery of extension services, climate information, and resilience support to Liberia’s most vulnerable farming communities.
As the effects of climate change deepen, there is a growing consensus among agricultural experts and development actors that business-as-usual approaches are no longer viable. What is urgently required is a paradigm shift toward climate-smart agriculture (CSA)—including water-efficient irrigation systems, drought-tolerant seeds, and better access to agro-climatic information to guide planting decisions.
Farmers in Telta Town are calling for basic support, including watering cans, improved seed varieties, and farming tools—requests that highlight the immediate needs on the ground and the longer-term need for investment in resilient agricultural infrastructure.
“Climate change is changing everything these days,” Suanikolo noted. “We are in the rainy season, but we’re afraid to plant because the soil is too dry. We can’t keep losing what little we have.”
In the wake of growing concern among farmers in Telta Town over unseasonal heat and disrupted farming activities, Bong County Agriculture Coordinator (CAC) Robert Taylor has acknowledged the challenges and assured affected communities that support is forthcoming.
Speaking to the Liberia Agriculture and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) via phone from Monrovia on Friday, Taylor emphasized that the Ministry of Agriculture is aware of the climate-related difficulties impacting farmers and that steps are being taken to respond.
“I’m currently attending an agriculture workshop in Monrovia, but once I return, I will coordinate with the District Agriculture Officer (DAO), Veronica Robert, and our technical team to visit Telta Town,” Taylor stated. “Our goal is to engage directly with the farmers, assess the situation firsthand, and provide awareness on climate-smart agricultural practices that can help them adapt.”
Taylor’s response comes after over 300 farmers in Telta Town raised alarms over dying crops and drying soil amid intense heat during what is typically Liberia’s rainy season. Many appealed for emergency support from the Ministry, including tools, improved seed varieties, and basic irrigation materials.
Addressing concerns that the Ministry has abandoned remote farming communities, Taylor dismissed such claims as a misinterpretation of logistical realities on the ground. He acknowledged that while the Ministry is committed to supporting farmers across the county, resource constraints and transportation barriers often delay outreach to hard-to-reach areas like Telta.
“We have motorcycles that our district officers use to access rural areas, and I can assure the farmers that our DAOs are actively working,” he said. “Logistical challenges are real, but they should not be mistaken for neglect”.
He urged all agricultural stakeholders to remain committed to supporting rural farmers, noting that the Ministry is strengthening its outreach and education efforts in remote communities.
The story of Telta Town exemplifies the broader challenges that rural farmers throughout Liberia face as they adapt to a changing climate. Their resilience is commendable, but it must be complemented by strong institutional support and specific climate adaptation strategies.
Without swift, coordinated action from the Ministry of Agriculture and Liberia’s development partners, towns like Telta risk becoming epicenters of rural distress, where farming becomes too risky to sustain and migration is the only viable option.
