Project Title

Swamp rehabilitation through youth in Agriculture

Project Location

The proposed project when approved will be located in Gborzon statutory District in Grand Gedeh County, Southeastern Liberia.

Project Justification

 Gbarzon District, selected for this project has seventy nine (79) town and villages. Almost quarter of the land is covered by large stretches of virgin forest and swamps. Our assessment revealed that most of these swamps have not been touched for the following reasons

v     Lack of technical know-how to plan and lay up the swamps

v     Lack of appropriate and enough tools to undertake lay up activities

v     Farmers do not know how to raise rice seedlings, they only  broadcast and stretch up land soils with little or no good results

The practicing farmers in the district only do up land farming which has some negative effects as follows:

v     Much land is wasted

v     There is always scramble for land which leads to disputes and conflicts

v     It destroys habitat of valuable trees and animals species

v     It promotes soil denudation

v     Average farm sizes are limited leading to more hunger

v     Production levels are very low in terms of tonnage

Project Objectives/Goals

To recruit 200 participants from a cluster of ten villages and towns in Gbarzon District and organize them though training in swamp rehabilitation and development processes that will assist them embark upon sustainable commercial rice and vegetable production within a period of 12 months

v     Promote food security in the district

v     To discourage youth from hunting in the forest to protect animal species

v     To discourage youth urban migration

Project Activities

v     Create awareness in ten communities on the project intent

v     Select desirable and serious participants in collaboration with the community leaders

v     Select swamp land in collaboration with local leaders

v     Recruit additional extensionists   trained in swamp lay-out techniques in addition to those working with HGHFI presently

v     Renting warehouses and distributing required tools and equipment for the commonest of the training

v      Caving layout available 20x20 plots, teaching seed test and germination tests

v     Establish seed nursery and training beneficiaries in nursery management

v     Preparing plotting for transplanting by digging, hallowing and controlling water in plots

v     Training participants care of transplant

v     Training participants selective harvesting handling of freshly harvested rice, etc

v     Constructing warehouses for storage of harvested rice

v     Monitor progress of project activities and prepare monthly reports for donors perusal

v     Organize trade fair at which participants produce could be exhibited

v     Organize a professional capacity building workshop three months after, etc

Expected results

v     250 youth including women and practicing farmers from the communities empowered with skills in swamp layout and farm management and engage in community farming

v     250 hectare of swamp completely laid up for rice and vegetable products

v     Ten spacious warehouse constructed and handed over to the community as storage for food

v     Youth no longer undertaking urban migration

v     Participants can now manage seed nurseries

v     There is enough food in the district and beyond

v     There is  food security

v     Youth no longer engage in unwholesome activities, etc

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries of the project are categorized into two as follows:

v     The direct beneficiaries these 250 youth screen and recruited from the ten towns and villages where swamps exits.

v     The second category beneficiaries are the immediate families’ members of the direct beneficiaries; they will assist in the food production. Others will be residents in the town and villages.

Timing/Duration of the proposed project

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The time and duration of the proposed project is twelve (12) months.

Proposed Budget

The grant amount requested is USD 75,000

Project contact

Rev. S. Tosha Browne, Sr.

CEO

Havious Green Humanitarian Foundation Inc.

Cell: 00231-6511978