PHOTO: BRYF Team, Locals and International guest
By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- As part of efforts to promote agriculture, the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation (BRYF) has expanded its agriculture project in Margibi County, some 79 kilometers east of Monrovia.
The Foundation has included the growing of varieties of crops on portion of its 20 acres of land it acquired for the construction of Sports Academy in Woryan Town, Margibi County.
The 20 acres of land was given to the BRYF by local authorities of Konoquelleh Clan, Cinta Township.
As part of its expansion plan, the Foundation intends to cultivate the 20 acres it has with varieties of crops.
The Foundation also has plan underway to add value chain to its cassava production during the next farming season.
There are plans to purchase machines and other agriculture tools to produce super gari among others as means of value chain addition.
The initiative named and styled “Farming for Us Women Empowerment Project” is squarely under the supervision of the BRYF.
It can be recalled that in 2018 the Foundation embarked on a farming project aimed at empowering women with limited opportunities to fight poverty and reduce challenges facing them.
The Foundation through locals cultivated portion of the land with cucumbers, watermelon and groundnut and were harvested.
The project came to a standstill until 2020 when the Foundation reawakened the project thereby planted bitter ball, pepper, and cassava and it was realized that the cassava grew very well on the farm.
In August of 2020, the farmers and members of the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation harvested the first crops (pepper and bitter ball).
And in an extension of that, the Foundation led a team of Farm Project members along with its partner and Founder of the “We Dream in Colors Foundation”, a Chicago based humanitarian, Dr. Chief Quinton Tamba Taylor de’ Alexander to allow him begin the harvesting of the Cassava.
Dr. Tamba was speaking recently at the project site, the President of the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation said as a Humanitarian in the USA, Dr. Quinton came as far from Chicago to grace the harvesting of one of the crops (cassava) on the farm.
Kpoto added: “Dr. Chief Quinton Tamba Taylor de’ Alexander is here in Liberia for the second time to touch lives and make an impact.
He also came to celebrate the Black History month with Liberians, which he did last Wednesday”.
Mr. Kpoto disclosed that income generated from the farm is used to empower women in Woryan Town, Margibi County.
The BRYF President at the same time acknowledged the contributions of the founder of Ktua Afrika Foundation base in California, USA, Dr. Grace Dinkins, says she is a backbone to BRYF Farming for Us Women Project in Woryan Town, Margibi County.
He however, said despite portion of the land is temporary being used for agriculture, the land is the future home of BRYF Sports Academy that will consist of sports, recreations, academic, athletic, and many other activities.
“The foundation is doing all it can to work with local communities’ leaders, youths and her partners to develop the land through the hard work of its Founder Amb. Bill Rogers in the future to provide an opportunity for local farmers as a mean of sustainability.”
“Now, our 2021 goal about the farm is to utilize the entire 20 acres of land to process cassava based on the max production,” BRYF President said.
For his part, Dr. Alexander urged the women to take ownership of the farm to help their families.
Dr. de’ Alexander is also an Executive Show Producer and one of Chicago’s most prominent fashion designers.
Meanwhile, the local farmers are appealing to local and international organizations and the Government of Liberia to give financial and materials support so as to enable the Foundation achieve its goal.
The local farmers through their leader, Patrick S. Dicky named cassava milling machine, wheel barrows, shovels, water machines and safety materials needed for the initiative, among other things.
The Bill Rogers Youth Foundation (BRYF) is a nonprofit organization and was founded in 2012. Since its existence, it has been partnering, inviting, training, and initiating several sporting events and other projects in many parts of Liberia.