In Liberia’s Southeast
By Ezekiel Geeplay, ezekielgeeplay.105.5@gmail.com
ZWEDRU, Grand Gedeh, Liberia- The European Union-funded Leh Go Green Project managed and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) as a continuation has launched Community Conservation engagement efforts in targeted Counties within Liberia’s Gola and Grebo-Krahn landscapes.
This is to promote forest conservation and boost livelihoods.
In an interview with the Liberia Forest Media Watch in Grand Gedeh County recently, UNDP Project Manager of the Eu-Funded Project Madam Davidetta Moore said the team is in Grand Gedeh engaging community leaders and stakeholders in Barwu, Delayee, and Drouglor to inform them about the project’s goals and encourage their active participation to ensure the success of the Community Conservation Agreement (CCA).
Madam Moore narrated that the team is conducting community resource mapping and holding focus group discussions with stakeholders on the strategies for Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC). The FPIC provides a buy-in for the participation of communities. These engagements are expected to lead and strengthen local stewardship, increase forest-based revenue, and improve livelihoods.
“This initiative is about forest conservation and empowering communities by providing alternative livelihood opportunities,” says Davidetta Moore, UNDP Project Manager for Leh Go Green.
The EU-Funded Project Manager said the mission of the initiative aims to reaffirm community interest in the CCA and gather socio-economic data to guide future interventions.
Another important aspect of the mission according to her is training community members in sustainable conservation practices, forest monitoring, and ensuring the inclusion of women and marginalized groups, in natural resource management to sustain long-term conservation efforts.
“By integrating gender considerations, the project aims to ensure that both men and women benefit equally from the CCA”, Madam Moore emphasized.
Meanwhile, Davidetta Moore said by the end of the mission, community perspectives on conservation actions and benefits will be documented, and formal agreements will be drafted with key community representatives.
Liberia’s rich forest ecosystems face growing threats of deforestation, illegal logging, and unsustainable resource use. The degradation of these ecosystems jeopardizes essential services like soil quality, water resources, and biodiversity, which are crucial to the livelihoods of thousands of rural inhabitants.
This has triggered the need for concerted efforts to restore and sustainably manage these vital resources.
The European Union-funded “Leh Go Green” initiative will implement Community Conservation Agreements (CCAs) with local forest-dependent communities. These agreements according to the EU-Funded project officer will foster collaboration between the government, conservation organizations, and local communities, to achieve sustainable resource management.
“In exchange for making conservation commitments, such as curbing illegal logging and protecting forest ecosystems, communities will benefit from livelihood support through agricultural initiatives and financial incentives” Madam Moore told LFMW.
The community engagements which started in Grand Cape Mount County in August of this year, moved to Grand Gedeh beginning the 9th of October 2024 and are expected to end in Fishtown, Rivergee County.
The success of the Leh Go Green project hinges on the collaboration between UNDP, FDA, and other partners including the Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL) the Forestry Training Institute (FTI), Nimba Ventures, Green Gold and BRAC to ensure that Liberia’s forests are conserved not only for environmental sustainability but also for the economic resilience of the communities that depend on them.
As the mission continues, the hope is that sustainable forest management will become a reality, contributing to the conservation of Liberia’s natural resources, and improving living standards for forest fringe communities.