By Emmanuel Koffa
Students from the Agriculture Department the Grand Kru Technical College (GKTC)), have harvested their first cassava. The harvest on the cassava filed, presents the students, not as observers, but as farmers harvesting the results of months of hard work.
On Thursday, February 19, 2026, the department began harvesting 2.5 acres of cassava cultivated as part of its practical training program. For many of the students, it was more than just a harvest, but a moment of validation. “This is what we have been teaching in the classroom,” said Pius Nyanfore, Chairman of the Department of Agriculture, as students carefully uprooted mature cassava stems. “Today, the students are not just learning, they are doing the exact thing they have learned over the years.” The project, Nyanfore said, represents a major step toward strengthening hands-on education at the college. Beyond academic theory, students are gaining real-life experience in land preparation, cultivation, farm management, harvesting, and post-harvest handling. Proceeds from the cassava harvest are expected to address operational gaps within the department, easing some of the resource constraints that have long challenged practical programs in rural institutions.
“Beyond income generation, this initiative is about repositioning the county toward improved agricultural productivity.”
Nyanfore said, part of the harvested cassava was sold to the college administration; the county administration, and local business owners.
In a gesture of community solidarity, a portion was also donated to inmates at the Barclayville Police withholding cells as part of the college’s social responsibility outreach.
One student described the project as “a dream come true,” explaining that seeing the crops mature gave them confidence that agriculture can be both a profession and a solution to food insecurity.
Nyanfore extended gratitude to the administration, faculty, and students who supported the project.