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By LAEJN Editorial Team
NIMBA COUNTY –In a compelling success story of rural empowerment, the Kwakehseh Rural Women Cooperative in Nimba County is celebrating a transformation, as a result of a partnership with the Smallholder Agricultural Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR- P), a government-led initiative supported by the World Bank and International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) .
Once struggling with high post-harvest losses and limited market access, the female-led farming cooperative now thrives—crediting STAR-P for not only improving their agricultural output but also increasing their income and impoving their livelihood.
“STAR-P did not just give us equipment—it gave us a future,” said Mrs. Olivia Williams, Chairperson of the cooperative. “We’ve moved from watching our produce rot to becoming a model for farming excellence in our community”, she added.
Before the intervention of the STAR Project, the Kwakehseh group had fewer than 150 members. Today, its membership has grown to 350—250 of whom are women. The cooperative now serves as a beacon of gender-inclusive agribusiness, creating opportunities not only for women but also for men and youth.
Through the STAR-P grant, the group procured a 6 ton mini-truck, several motorbikes, and constructed a modern warehouse, drastically reducing their losses after harvest.
“We used to pay L$300 just to move a 50kg bag of cabbage to the main road, and even then, much of it would spoil,” Williams recounted. “Now, using the vehicle that was bought for us, we move produce efficiently and preserve its quality.”
The cooperative’s transformation goes far beyond equipment. STAR-Project has delivered hands-on training in climate-smart agriculture, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, gender inclusion, record keeping, and cooperative management. These skills have empowered the farmers to better align planting cycles with weather patterns and keep accurate financial records—practices once foreign to many of them.
“The knowledge we’ve gained is priceless,” said Saye G. Bayou, the group’s General Secretary. “Climate-smart farming changed our approach to agriculture. We are no longer guessing—we’re planning.”
With improved logistics and training, the cooperative now produces a variety of crops, including pepper, cabbage, bitter ball, and Liberia’s staple, rice. Their weekly workday—held every Thursday—brings together nearly all members to share responsibilities, manage logistics, and support one another.
The impact extends to the wider community as well. Even unaffiliated farmers now benefit from the cooperative’s transportation services at affordable rates, allowing smaller community producers access to market.
Additionally, the group has launched a village savings and loan association, providing members with access to small loans—boosting economic independence and financial resilience.
“With the income we now earn, our members are sending children to school, building homes, and living more dignified lives,” Williams added.
Despite their progress, the Kwakehseh Rural Women Cooperative is calling on the Ministry of Agriculture and STAR-P to expand its support to more smallholder groups, particularly in under-served rural areas.
“Empowerment works—but we need more of it,” said Bayou. “The more smallholder groups you empower, the greater the national food production will be.”
From a struggling farming group led mainly by women, to a thriving agricultural cooperative, the story of Kwakehseh Rural Women highlights the power of strategic investment, targeted training, and inclusive development.
As STAR-P continues to roll out across Liberia, stories like this underline a critical truth: when rural women are empowered, entire communities rise.
