By George K. Momo
MONROVIA, Oct. 24 (LINA) –The call for citizens to invest into the soil seems to be resonating with the people of Bomi County, Western Liberia, as the Human Initiative Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative has embarked on the harvesting of 2.5 hectares of; lowland rice.
The move by the local group marks a significant step toward strengthening local food production and promoting agricultural development in the county.
The harvesting exercise started on Tuesday, October 21, 2026, along the Bomi-Bong Mines route, representing an important milestone for the cooperative, established in 2023 as a community farming group before evolving into a formally recognized agricultural cooperative.
The initiative is expected to contribute to efforts to improve food security, increase domestic rice production, and reduce Liberia’s dependence on imported rice, a staple food consumed by millions across the country.
According to reports, the group transitioned into a full-fledged cooperative following sustained engagement and lobbying efforts with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the Cooperative Development Agency (CDA).
Through these efforts, the organization completed the necessary legal and administrative requirements to gain recognition from the relevant agricultural authorities in Liberia.
The 2.5-hectare wetland farm is located along the Bomi Stream, near the Bravo Group, just outside Tubmanburg City. The location provides the cooperative with access to lowland farming, conditions suitable for rice cultivation, an important agricultural activity that can help communities increase food production and improve rural livelihoods.
The commencement of the harvest has drawn attention from agricultural stakeholders in Bomi County, who view the achievement as evidence of the potential of organized community farming to contribute to local economic development and national food security.
The County Agriculture Coordinator (CAC), Mr. Samuel Stevens, who attended the harvesting ceremony on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, commended the cooperative for its commitment to farming and described the initiative as a positive development for Suehn Mecca District and Bomi County as a whole.
Stevens said the cooperative’s achievement demonstrates the capacity of local communities to contribute meaningfully to agricultural production when farmers are organized, motivated, and provided with the necessary institutional support.
He noted that the initiative challenges the long-standing negative perception that residents of Bomi County are reluctant to engage in agriculture.
According to him, the cooperative’s progress shows that local farmers are willing to invest their time and effort in agricultural activities that can improve household livelihoods and strengthen the county’s productive capacity.
“This initiative has proven that Bomi County can feed itself if we support our local farmers. It shows that our people are hardworking and committed to improving their livelihoods through agriculture,” Stevens said.
His remarks underscored the importance of changing public perceptions about farming and encouraging greater participation in agricultural activities, particularly among rural communities.
Stevens further emphasized that supporting local farmers could help increase the availability of locally produced food, create economic opportunities, and reduce the pressure on households and the national economy caused by reliance on imported food commodities.
The County Agriculture Coordinator assured the cooperative of the Ministry of Agriculture’s continued support, noting that the group had fulfilled the required legal and administrative conditions for recognition.
He disclosed that the cooperative had obtained its legal documents and met the requirements of the Cooperative Development Agency, making it eligible to be considered for various agricultural assistance programs.
Among the opportunities mentioned was the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P), along with other donor-supported agricultural programs operating in Liberia.
The anticipated support could provide an opportunity for the cooperative to strengthen its operations, improve productivity, and expand its farming activities in the future.
“The cooperative’s eligibility for assistance does not necessarily mean that funding has already been approved or disbursed,” he stated.
He furthers that access to agricultural grants, improved farming technologies, and other forms of institutional assistance remain important for smallholder farmers seeking to move beyond subsistence production toward more productive and commercially sustainable farming operations.
For the Human Initiative Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative, formal recognition by the relevant authorities could serve as a foundation for building partnerships, accessing agricultural resources, and attracting further investment in local rice production.
At the same time, members of the cooperative expressed happiness over the harvest, describing it as an encouraging achievement for their organization and the wider community.
They also thanked the Ministry of Agriculture and its partners for recognizing their efforts and providing encouragement to local farmers.
Despite the progress made, the members appealed for additional assistance to enable them to expand their operations and improve future harvests.
Their requests include the provision of farming tools, improved rice seeds, and better access to markets where they can sell their produce.
The farmers said access to these resources would help them improve production, reduce some of the challenges associated with lowland rice cultivation, and increase their capacity to contribute to food supply in Bomi County.
They added that improved seeds and appropriate farming equipment can help smallholder farmers make better use of available farmland, while stronger market connections can provide incentives for increased production by creating more reliable opportunities to sell harvested crops.
The cooperative’s appeal also highlights the broader challenges confronting community-based agricultural organizations in Liberia, particularly the need for financial resources, technical assistance, improved inputs, and dependable market access.
For farmers seeking to expand beyond small-scale production, sustained support from government institutions, development partners, and private-sector actors can be critical to achieving long-term growth.
The harvest comes amid broader efforts to strengthen Liberia’s agricultural sector and reduce the country’s dependence on imported rice.
Rice remains a central component of the Liberian diet, making increased domestic production an important priority for food security and rural development
Community-based farming initiatives such as the Human Initiative Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative offer a practical approach to mobilizing local labor, organizing farmers, and making productive use of available agricultural land.
Meanwhile, Agriculture stakeholders in Bomi County have welcomed the cooperative’s achievement as a positive example of how locally driven initiatives can contribute to Liberia’s national food security agenda.
They believe that encouraging more communities to organize into cooperatives, while ensuring that they receive the technical and material support needed to succeed, could help unlock the agricultural potential of Bomi County and other parts of the country.
The Human Initiative Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative’s progress from a community farming group established in 2023 to a formally recognized cooperative now harvesting lowland rice illustrates the potential of collective action in rural agricultural development.
While the long-term impact will depend on productivity, access to markets, and continued support, the harvesting of 2.5 hectares of rice represents an encouraging beginning for the group.
For the farmers of Alasara Town and the wider Suehn Mecca District, the achievement offers renewed hope that investment in local agriculture can create livelihood opportunities, strengthen community participation, and contribute to efforts to make Liberia more self-reliant in food production.