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By Josiah Pailay +231881913880 / +231775260307/josiahpailay96@gmail.com
Gbarnga, Bong County : ActionAid Liberia has successfully concluded a two-day County-Level National People’s Summit on Climate Justice, aimed at fostering sustainable solutions for climate resilience and agroecology in Liberia.
The summit, held August 7–8, 2025, at the Gbarnga Youth Center, brought together cross-section of stakeholders including grade school and university students, members of the Farmers Union of Liberia (Bong Chapter), representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry Development Authority (FDA), and several agriculture and climate-focused organizations.
Speaking during the opening session, Norwu Harris, ActionAid Liberia’s Program Coordinator for Climate Justice and Youth, emphasized the importance of community-driven solutions in combating climate change.
She noted that the summit’s theme, “Scaling Agroecology, People-Driven Climate Finance, and Sustainable Solutions for Liberia,” reflects the organization’s commitment to empowering local communities to take the lead in climate action.
Participants engaged in discussions on key climate-related issues such as sustainable farming practices to preserve soil health, the use of compost and animal manure as alternatives to chemical fertilizers, the impacts of climate change on local agriculture, and innovative community-led approaches to climate financing.
Speaking to the Liberia Agriculture and Environmental Journalist Network (LAEJN), Romeo Kaydea, ActionAid’s Program Officer in Bong County, highlighted the urgency of the initiative.
“Over the past four years, the impacts of climate change have become increasingly evident across Liberia’s farming communities. Women, who often bear the responsibility of growing food for their households, are disproportionately affected by extreme rainfall, pest outbreaks, and soil degradation,” he said.
Kaydea noted that ActionAid Liberia, through its Agroecology project, is collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture, EPA, Ministry of Gender, local organizations, and youth networks to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable farming communities.
According to recent data, one in four rural households in Liberia faces food insecurity, with many surviving on less than $1.90 a day.
The summit’s deliberations aimed at equipping participants with practical methods to address these challenges while promoting environmentally sustainable agriculture.
At the close of the event, participants commended ActionAid Liberia for organizing the impactful gathering and pledged to adopt agroecological practices, tree planting, and other climate-smart techniques in their farming activities.
A set of recommendations was presented to ActionAid Liberia and its implementing partners, urging sustained support for agroecology, community-led climate finance initiatives, and large-scale reforestation efforts as key strategies to mitigate the negative effects of climate change in Liberia’s rural communities.
