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Josiah Pailay/ josiahpailay96@gmail.com/ +231881913880/+231775260307
The Youth International Training Institute (YITI) has graduated its first batch of 15 students from an eight-month Advanced Certificate Program in various agricultural disciplines, marking a milestone in the institution’s mission to equip young people with hands-on agricultural skills.
The graduates specialized in several areas, including swamp development, honeybee farming, vegetable production, farm management, rural development, introduction to agriculture, agricultural enterprise, animal management, and fish farming with pond development/construction.
The ceremony was held at YITI’s practical site in Goll Farm, Jorquelleh District #3, Bong County with score of students and inspiring Agriculture leaders.
Providing an overview of the program, YITI National Consultant Jacob B. Dennis expressed his vision to build a vibrant agricultural training center where young people can gain practical, hands-on agricultural education.
He emphasized that YITI offers three structured training programs: a 12-month diploma course, a six-month advanced certificate course, and a one-day short certificate course.
The diploma package covers diverse areas such as introduction to agriculture, swamp layout and development, fish farming, field experience, crop production, agricultural entrepreneurship (including food processing and preservation), soil fertility management and plant nutrition, honeybee keeping, plant protection, and animal management practices.
Mr. Dennis thanked the young people who have embraced the vision and contributed to making it a reality.
He also acknowledged YITI’s partners and friends, including Moshav Liberia and the Mashav International Training Center (Israel), for their continuous support.
He called on Liberian students to actively participate in agricultural development and work toward building a sustainable future in the sector. “I encourage all the graduates to go and serve Mama Liberia,” he urged.
Serving as guest speaker, Mr. Isaac Solunteh, an agronomist and Chair of the Department on Agricultural at Bong County Technical College, praised the administration of YITI for establishing and operating a hands-on agricultural program in a rural community like Goll Farm.
He highlighted that such initiatives bring real impact to local communities and the nation at large.
Speaking on the theme “The Importance of Agriculture in Nation Building,” Mr. Solunteh stressed that agriculture remains the backbone of every nation’s economy.
He called on Liberians to return to the soil, noting that agricultural self-reliance is essential for national growth and food security. The event concluded with words of encouragement to the graduates, charging them to apply their skills for the betterment of their communities and to contribute to the agricultural transformation of Liberia.
