EU Shares ‘Native Tree’ Seedlings
The European Union (EU)-funded Leh Go Green project, managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), has officially launched its seedling distribution initiative.
The exercise marks a key milestone in advancing climate-smart agriculture and environmental restoration across the country. A release said that the kick-off was hosted in Grand Cape Mount County. The initiative, according to a release, is a major step toward promoting sustainable land use, enhancing biodiversity, and strengthening rural livelihoods.
A total of 153 beneficiaries -118 men and 35 women, received 19,370 ‘native tree’ seedlings out of a total of 117,719. As part of its integrated strategy, the project is distributing disease-resistant cocoa seedlings alongside ‘native tree’ species, including Wollo, Ekki, and Bitter Kola, to farming households in five targeted communities in Fornor, Jebneh Fornor, Kawelahun, Gbanjue, and Fula Camp.
Designed to support cocoa-based agroforestry systems, this approach combines cocoa cultivation with indigenous tree planting.
The result is improved soil fertility, restored degraded landscapes, and increased farm productivity, while also enhancing climate resilience, promoting carbon sequestration, and protecting ecosystem health.
“By combining cocoa farming with ‘native tree’ planting, we are offering farmers a sustainable pathway to improve incomes, while restoring the country’s precious forest cover,” said Augustine G. Dah, project site coordinator in Grand Cape Mount County.
In tandem with the seedling distribution, the Leh Go Green team conducted field visits to all participating communities, providing hands-on training and technical support to farmers. These sessions guided beneficiaries through the transplanting process to ensure proper care and improve seedling survival rates. Funded by the EU, the Leh Go Green project is empowering smallholder farmers with the knowledge, resources, and tools to adopt sustainable agricultural practices that benefit both local communities and the environment. This effort contributes to the country’s broader objectives of restoring degraded forest landscapes, increasing climate resilience, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and fulfilling commitments under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement.
With sustained support from the EU and implementing partners, Leh Go Green shows how climate-smart agriculture can foster inclusive economic growth, empower communities, and preserve Liberia’s natural resources for future generations.
Comments are closed.