Farmers in Boinsen District, Electoral District One, Bong County, are shifting to lowland cultivation due to challenges, including a lack of access to seeds and tools.
By Judoemue M. Kollie
Bong, Liberia; July 22, 2025 – Smallholder farmers in Boinsen District, Electoral District One, Bong County, lack access to essential farming resources, such as improved seeds and tools, to enhance productivity.
However, with the help of Mr. Kesseh Yeleboe, a district native now living in the United States, the farmers are hopeful that some of their challenges will be addressed, enabling them to transition from subsistence agriculture practices to commercialization.
Mr. Yeleboe established the Foundation a few years ago, with the hope of forging a partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture to fight hunger in his district.
As part of an effort to improve yield, the organization is currently mobilizing the farmers to transition to lowland rice cultivation.
Boinsen is one of the administrative districts of Electoral District One, which borders two counties: Grand Bassa and Nimba. The population of the area is mainly comprised of members of the Mano, Kpelle, and Bassa-speaking languages.
Under the project, individuals are provided with seed rice to plant, cash to hire laborers, and food to support their work. This support encourages the farmers to shift towards the lowland, which the government has designated to boost domestic production.
The assistance is reportedly motivating farmers in committing to developing virgin swamplands within eight communities.
“We are motivated to farm because of the support we received, but before the organization arrived, we grew rice in the upland. However, with the lowland, we can increase our yield,” said Life D. Zeon, a youth farmer.
Zeon explained that they’ve received rice seeds, cash, and food to support their work, and they are anticipating the government’s support for the organization’s efforts.
Besides supporting lowland rice production, farmers from the district and bordering counties are also being supported in cassava production and processing, using a portable machine that is taken to various communities.
Emmanuel Minifah, Board Chair of the Kesseh Foundation, explained that the organization’s activities have been positively impacting the lives of community members since its establishment.
Minifah stated that the Ministry of Agriculture recently attempted to work with the farmers of the district, but such a plan is not yet fruitful.
“We are a recognized organization wanting to work with the government. We invited the District Agriculture Officer (DAO) to our farms, who surveyed some areas, but we are yet to get any response,” he said.
Under the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP), Bong County has been designated for the cultivation of 1,500 hectares of lowland in 2025. With this plan, the farmers of Boinsen District hope to be recruited for the Ministry of Agriculture’s rice projects to boost productivity. Editing by Jonathan Browne
