By Emmanuel Koffa
BARCLAYVILLE, Liberia — In a county where institutions often struggle with limited resources, the sight of students harvesting cassava at Grand Kru County Technical College tells a deeper story — one of resilience, innovation, and survival.
On Thursday, February 19, 2026, the College’s Agriculture Department began harvesting two-point-five acres of cassava planted along the Sasstown–Barclayville halfway corridor. But this was not merely an academic exercise. For the department, it was a strategic effort to sustain itself.
“We cannot continue to depend solely on tuition and irregular support,” said Agriculture Department Chairman Pius Nyanfore. “This project is about helping the department stand on its own feet while giving students practical skills.”
For years, rural technical institutions like Grand Kru Technical College have faced operational gaps — from limited equipment to insufficient funding for practical programs. Rather than waiting for external intervention, the Agriculture Department decided to cultivate its own solution.
The cassava project now serves a dual purpose: training students and generating income to support departmental needs.
Proceeds from the harvest will be used to address existing constraints, while part of the produce will be sold to the college administration, county authorities, and local businesses. In a move reflecting community consciousness, some of the cassava was donated to inmates at the Barclayville Police withholding cells.
“This is not just farming,” Mr. Nyanfore emphasized. “It is about restoring confidence in agriculture as a tool for development in Grand Kru.”
Students who participated in the project say the experience changed their perception of classroom learning.
“When you plant and later harvest what you planted, it gives you belief,” one student remarked. “It shows that agriculture can feed you, your family, and even your institution.”
The department is not stopping at cassava. Plans are already underway to begin vegetable production around the college’s administrative building — another step toward building a self-sustaining agricultural model within the institution.
In expressing appreciation, Mr. Nyanfore thanked the administration, faculty, and students for supporting the initiative.
He praised the leadership of College President Dr. Sarwee Joe-Wiah Faeflen, describing the institution as “the people’s college”, expressing hope for a new direction in shaping the agricultural narrative of the county.
In a region where youth unemployment remains a challenge and food security is an ongoing concern, the modest cassava field may represent more than crops in the ground. It may signal a shift — from dependency to productivity.
And if the Agriculture Department’s vision holds, the harvest of today could become the foundation for a stronger, more self-reliant tomorrow in Grand Kru County.