Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) Promote informed journalism and public engagement on agricultural and environmental nalists Network (LAEJN)
By: Richard Williams | 0775339618 / 0881084573 | [email protected]
Tehr, Bomi County: Nearly 100 smallholder farmers in Tehr District are undergoing intensive, hands-on training in coffee production and other agricultural value chains as part of a broader initiative to revitalize Liberia’s agriculture sector and strengthen national food security.
The training is being conducted at a one-hectare demonstration site by the Daya-Bai-kai Agriculture Group, with funding support from the European Union and technical implementation by the International Trade Center (ITC) in collaboration with the Farmers Union Network of Liberia (FUNL).
According to Mr. Sando McGill, lead farmer of the group, the initiative is designed to equip rural farmers with climate-smart, productivity-enhancing techniques in cassava, rice, banana, and especially coffee cultivation. “Everyone here is specializing in coffee planting, but we are also preparing for larger-scale rice and cassava farming through the formation of cooperatives,” McGill said.
Each participating farmer will receive 1,500 coffee seedlings upon completion of the training, a move expected to significantly scale up local production and contribute to Liberia’s “Feed Yourself Agenda” under the National Agriculture Development Plan (2024–2030).
Coffee—once a major cash crop in Liberia—has seen a sharp decline over the years. However, under the current agricultural strategy, the government aims to develop 15,000 hectares of new smallholder coffee farms, including those led by women and youth, over the next five years. The Tehr District initiative is seen as an early response to this national goal.
Madam Satta Cassell, a program officer with FUNL, emphasized that the training covers four distinct methods of coffee intercropping, with a focus on integrating plantains as companion crops to provide shade and retain soil moisture. “This not only creates a conducive environment for coffee growth but also gives farmers an interim harvest while they wait for the coffee to mature,” she explained.
Cassell stressed the importance of cooperative formation to ensure sustainability and improve access to donor support and government assistance. “These farmers are eager and focused. What they need now is increased investment and attention from local authorities, especially the Bomi County Legislative Caucus,” she urged.
The Tehr initiative reflects a growing recognition among stakeholders that sustainable transformation of Liberia’s agricultural sector requires localized training, market access, and strong institutional partnerships. With donor-backed programs like this one, Liberia is inching closer to a future where smallholder farmers can play a central role in the country’s food and economic security.
