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LAEJN Editorial Team
The Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP) has taken Liberia’s climate resilience efforts to the international stage, participating in the 6th Desertification Action Conference on Djerba Island, Tunisia, where it engaged policymakers and technical experts on strategies to combat land degradation across Africa.
Represented by its Executive Director, Dr. Robert S. M. Bimba, CHAP joined high-level discussions with the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), focusing on strengthening collaboration under the RICOWAS project and identifying new opportunities for project design and implementation. The meetings also addressed reporting procedures, while OSS assured stakeholders of upcoming capacity-building support in financial management, procurement, and proposal development.
As part of the conference proceedings, CHAP featured prominently in a panel session titled “Climate Change in Africa and its Connection to Desertification,” where it shared practical experiences from Liberia. Dr. Bimba, who also serves as RICOWAS Project Coordinator, highlighted the resilience of Liberian farmers, citing innovations such as double-cropping practices in Dulinema, Bong County, and partnerships that are helping to boost local rice production.
CHAP’s presentation drew notable attention from regional participants, with a delegation from Guinea-Bissau formally requesting technical support in the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). The request reflects growing recognition of Liberia’s progress in climate-smart agriculture and underscores the country’s emerging role as a knowledge hub in sustainable rice production. CHAP has accepted the invitation and is expected to support capacity-building efforts in Guinea-Bissau with backing from OSS.
In a symbolic highlight of the engagement, CHAP presented locally produced Liberian rice to OSS representatives, signaling both national pride and the potential of homegrown agricultural solutions in addressing food security challenges.
CHAP’s participation in the conference points to a broader shift in how smaller agricultural actors from countries like Liberia are influencing regional discourse on climate adaptation. By translating local success stories into scalable models, organizations such as CHAP are helping to bridge the gap between grassroots innovation and international policy frameworks.
With desertification and climate change continuing to threaten livelihoods across the Sahel and beyond, CHAP’s growing visibility suggests that practical, community-driven approaches could play an increasingly central role in shaping Africa’s agricultural future.
