US-Based Native Of Grand Kru On Significant Potential
By Emmanuel Koffa
BARCLAYVILLE, Liberia — Grand Kru County’s agricultural sector is facing a critical test, as farmers look forward to earthmoving equipment being put into action in addressing one of their biggest obstacles: poor roads connecting farms to markets.
For years, farmers across the county have struggled not only with limited agricultural inputs and technical assistance, but also with the difficulty of moving whatever they produce from remote farming communities to major markets.
According to Joseph Nimely Toe, a United States-based Grand Kru citizen, the county has significant agricultural potential, but farmers remain largely trapped in subsistence production because the support systems needed to expand agriculture have remained inadequate.
Toe said limited access to government agricultural inputs has made it difficult for farmers to increase production and transition from household farming to commercial agriculture.
He also expressed concern over the reported suspension of activities by the Rural Economic Transformation and Resilience Project (RETRAP) in Grand Kru for more than three months.
According to Toe, RETRAP previously provided farmers with assistance, including technical and logistical support, but its activities in the county have reportedly stopped while similar interventions continue elsewhere in Liberia.
Toe said poor roads have created a major disconnect between farming communities and consumers, particularly for farmers producing cassava, rice, vegetables and other food commodities.
He said farmers frequently depend on motorbikes to transport produce over difficult roads, increasing transportation costs while reducing the amount of agricultural goods that can reach markets.
The result, he said, is a cycle in which farmers have little incentive or capacity to substantially increase production.
“Hand-to-mouth” farming, according to Toe, remains a reality for many households because agricultural production has not been adequately connected to reliable markets.
The arrival of earthmoving equipment in Grand Kru has therefore generated expectations among farmers and residents who hope road rehabilitation will extend beyond major town-to-town routes.
Toe is urging county authorities to prioritize farm-to-market roads, arguing that improved connectivity could reduce transportation costs, improve access to buyers and encourage farmers to expand their operations.
The call comes as Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan engages citizens in Grand Kru and emphasizes the government’s commitment to development regardless of political affiliation.
“The yellow machines will soon start doing the yellow things.”»
For farmers, the real significance of that statement will be measured when the equipment reaches roads connecting agricultural communities to markets.
Toe’s advocacy for greater agricultural investment is also backed by his own decision to invest in farming.
His return to Liberia after years abroad
After returning to Liberia in 2023 following years abroad, he launched SAMJEBO Farm, an approximately 150-acre agricultural project in his hometown of Grandcess.
The farm is situated between Wedabo Beloken and Grandcess after tribal authorities granted permission for the use of tribal land for agricultural purposes.
Owned and financed by Toe and his wife, SAMJEBO Farm focuses primarily on cassava, plantain and other food crops.
The project is intended to strengthen local food production while creating employment and income opportunities, particularly for young people.
Toe said the initiative is designed to demonstrate that agriculture can serve as a viable source of employment and economic empowerment for local communities.
“We are open to assistance from government, private individuals, and NGO to expand our activities, especially the creation of income for the surrounding communities and food security,” Toe said.
Toe’s farm illustrates what individual investment can contribute, but he argues that private initiatives alone cannot transform the county’s agricultural sector.
He is calling for stronger government intervention, renewed support from development partners and greater investment in agricultural infrastructure.
Yellow machines arrival
For Grand Kru, the arrival of earthmoving equipment could therefore represent more than a road project.
If farm-to-market roads are prioritized alongside major road rehabilitation, and if farmers receive reliable inputs, technical assistance and logistical support, the county could begin moving from subsistence agriculture toward a more productive and market-oriented farming economy.
The test now is whether the promised road intervention will reach the farming communities that need it most.
For farmers, better roads could be the bridge between what they produce and what the market is willing to buy.