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By:Nukanah Kollie/ kollienukanah94@gmail.com
Gbarnga,Bong County—On a bright morning at the campus of the Liberia Opportunity Industrialization Center (LOIC) right at the back of Lonestar Cell MTN Office in Gbarnga, Bong County, a group of young trainees gather around newly delivered farming tools and equipment. For many of them, the items represent more than simple agricultural supplies, they symbolize a renewed hope for skills, opportunity, and self-reliance.
The materials were recently provided by the European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD) as part of a partnership aimed at strengthening agricultural technical and vocational education in Liberia.
According to Boa Lomou, Project Officer for IECD’s Agriculture TVET program, the initiative seeks to revive and strengthen agricultural training while equipping young Liberians with modern farming knowledge.
“This project is implemented by IECD, which stands for the European Institute for Cooperation and Development,” Lomou explained. “IECD has been working in Liberia for several years and has implemented agricultural programs mainly in Bong County, particularly in districts such as Kpaii, Jorquelleh,Yellequelleh and Suakoko.”
Reviving a Dormant Program
For years, the agriculture department at LOIC had remained largely inactive. Recognizing the need to revitalize the program, IECD stepped in to support the institution with equipment, curriculum support, and practical training opportunities.
“Our goal is to awaken the agriculture program so that young people can gain skills and become self-dependent,” Lomou said. “Agriculture is one of the fastest ways for young people to generate income, especially through market gardening where farmers can begin harvesting within two or three months.”
The training focuses on agro-ecological practices, an approach that emphasizes sustainable farming methods while protecting soil health and the environment.
Students are being introduced to techniques such as mulching, composting, crop rotation, and soil improvement using organic materials like chicken manure, cow manure, and compost.
“These practices allow farmers to stay on one piece of land for several years while still maintaining soil fertility,” Lomou noted. “Instead of constantly clearing forests for new farmland, farmers can maintain productivity in the same location.”
Hands-On Training for Students
The program will run for approximately three months, during which students will combine classroom instruction with hands-on field training.
To support the learning process, IECD donated several materials including wheel diggers, sprayers, gloves, goggles, and additional classroom furniture.
“Before we even began the training, we renovated the agriculture classroom to create a better learning environment,” Lomou added. “Agriculture is not just hard labor. It is a broad field with many areas of specialization.”
Each student will also manage an individual plot of land where they will replicate the techniques demonstrated during training.
“This allows them to master the methods themselves,” Lomou explained.
Institutional Support
The management of LOIC has welcomed the partnership, describing it as a major step toward rebuilding the institution’s agricultural training program.
Rachel Paye, Manager of the Liberia Opportunity Industrialization Center, said the collaboration with IECD represents a major opportunity for young people in Bong County.
“When IECD visited our campus, they saw that our agriculture classroom was in a deplorable condition,” Paye said. “They immediately decided to help renovate it and provide additional furniture so that students can learn comfortably.”
She added that the agriculture program had once been a strong pillar of the institution.
“I remember when I was a student here years ago, agriculture activities were part of our weekly schedule,” she recalled. “Students used to go to the demonstration farm every Friday to practice.”
Paye expressed excitement about the program’s revival and encouraged residents of Bong County to take advantage of the opportunity.
“We want more young people to enroll because agriculture is the foundation of development,” she said.
Students Embrace Opportunity
Among the participants is Marian Flomo, a young woman in Gbarnga who sees agriculture as a pathway to a better future.
“I came here because agriculture is very important in my life,” Flomo said. “Through agriculture I can support myself and even help my family.”
Flomo explained that she hopes the training will allow her to gain formal skills and certification.
“I did not have any document to support my knowledge before,” she said. “Now I want to learn more and encourage other young women to join.”
She also believes agriculture can help young people avoid unproductive activities.
“If you learn a skill like farming, you will always have something to do,” she added.
Leadership Among Students
For Clarence Diggs, the class president, the program offers an opportunity for young Liberians to take control of their own food security.
“We were informed that IECD wants to train about 40 to 50 young people in ecological agriculture,” Diggs said. “This is a great opportunity for the youth of Bong County.”
Diggs, who previously studied criminal justice at the Sumo Moye Memorial College, said his decision to join the agriculture training reflects the importance of food production.
“A doctor, a lawyer, or a teacher can still become a farmer,” he said. “If nobody grows food, what will we eat?”
Preparing for the Future
Another trainee, J. Daniel Paye, said the program will help Liberia reduce its dependence on imported food.
“We studied agriculture in school, but now we need practical training so that we can grow more food in our country,” he said.
Paye believes the skills learned during the training will help participants support their communities.
“When we produce food, other people will benefit because they will have something to eat,” he added.
A Vision for Youth Development
For Destiny Omosco, another student in the program, the initiative represents an important step toward personal growth.
“I came here because I want to learn something meaningful,” Destiny said. “Agriculture is a skill that can help people build their future.”
He encouraged more young people in Bong County to participate in similar training programs.
“We need to learn skills that can help us develop our country,” he said.
Building Liberia Through Agriculture
Despite the program’s promising start, IECD officials say the initiative is approaching its final phase.
According to Lomou, the current agricultural training forms part of the organization’s broader technical education program, which is scheduled to conclude later this year.
Still, the impact of the training could extend far beyond the classroom.
“If more organizations support programs like this, in five to ten years we will have many young people with practical skills,” Lomou said.
As students continue tending their plots and learning sustainable farming techniques, the small demonstration fields at LOIC may soon grow into something much larger, a new generation of Liberian farmers ready to cultivate both the land and their future.
