The Farwhenta and the Parkuget Medina Agricultural Cooperatives in Gbarpolu County have officially handed over newly constructed office and production facilities. Each facility was funded with a $20,000 USD grant under the government-led and UNDP co-funded Accelerated Community Development Programme (ACDP).
During the handover ceremony, the Board Chair of the Farwhenta Agricultural Development Cooperative Society expressed gratitude for the trust placed in the cooperative to manage the construction project.
“This is a test case,” said the Board Chair. “You could have given this contract to someone else, but you chose to entrust us with this amount. We are grateful for the confidence reposed in us.”
The facility was formally inspected by the ACDP/UNDP team and later handed over to the Superintendent of Gbarpolu County, Hon. Sam Zinnah.
Louis Kuukpen, UNDP Liberia Deputy Resident Representative, praised the cooperatives for their swift and effective execution of the project.
“We are indeed very proud of how fast you moved within one year to construct this facility,” Kuukpen said. “You have demonstrated that if we give you more, you can deliver more. Agriculture is self-sufficiency and self-dignity. I encourage everyone to see agriculture as an investment—especially the youth. It’s not just about feeding your household but producing enough to feed Gbarpolu County and beyond.”
Kuukpen reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting communities with technical and logistical assistance to expand their farms.
“You are among the leading cooperatives UNDP is supporting. Let that unity and oneness continue. There is no development without peace, and we appeal to you to hold onto the peace Liberia is enjoying.”
Receiving the keys and cutting the ribbon, Superintendent Sam Zinnah urged the cooperatives to manage the facilities wisely.
“If you manage this properly, in a few years you could have a company producing rice, cassava, and other products that people from other countries will want to buy,” Zinnah said.
“We have fertile land and abundant water sources—things others struggle to find. Our products are organic and attractive to international markets. You only needed a little help to reach this level, and we are proud of you.”
Farmers from both cooperatives shared their excitement and hopes for the future.
Martha Kollie, a member of the Madina Cooperative, said, “Before this support, we were working under trees and storing our tools in our homes. Now we have a place to meet, plan, and process our harvests. This is a big step forward for us.”
James Mulbah, a young farmer from Farwhenta, added, “This building gives us hope. It shows that farming is not just for survival—it can be a business. I want to grow enough cassava to supply not just Gbarpolu, but Monrovia too.”
Hawa Kamara, another cooperative member, emphasized the impact on women. “Many women here depend on farming to feed their families. With this facility, we can work together, store our produce, and even learn new skills. It’s empowering.”
The ACDP continues to transform rural communities through investments in agriculture, health, water, and sanitation. Recent achievements include the completion of four solar-powered water infrastructure projects in Gbarpolu and Rivercess Counties.
To date, the Programme has invested over $700,000 USD in agricultural machinery and equipment, deployed across 14 cooperatives in six counties- Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Lofa, Nimba, and Rivercess.
More than 2,000 farmers have received basic farming tools, including cutlasses, hoes, rain boots, and cassava mills.
Additionally, over 200 cooperative members have benefited from leadership and business management training, and $280,000 USD in small capital grants have been distributed to support operations and the construction of mini offices.
