Cari, Bong County , Liberia – 08-23 July 2025

FAO Liberia, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, successfully conducted a refresher Training of Master Trainers (TOMT) on 3 value chain commodities rice, cassava and chili production under the Smallholder Agriculture Development for Food and Nutrition Security (SADFONS) Project. The two-week training, held at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) in Bong County, brought together 17 participants (5 women and 12 men) from eight counties across Liberia.

The refresher course aimed to update the technical knowledge and facilitation skills of Farmer Field School (FFS) Master Trainers, ensuring they remain effective in transferring sustainable agricultural practices to farmer groups. The training program involves the identification of learning/study sites; Agro-ecosystem analysis (AESA); farmer groups and plot layout; identification special topics with supporting exercises; Group dynamic exercises. They cover topics like integrated pest management, soil health, climate-smart agriculture and gender roles in farming. They also focus on networking, building local and regional networks, and identifying target communities and farmer groups. Practical sessions were conducted on rice, cassava, and chili production, with support from local farmer groups.

Looking ahead, the trained master trainers will cascade their knowledge by training lead farmers and facilitators across the eight project counties. This will support the roll-out of additional farmer field schools, contributing to improved food security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods in Liberia. Follow-up actions include documenting and reporting outcomes, providing field implementation support, regular monitoring and evaluation, community mobilization and planning, lead farmer training or peer reviews, media visibility, and coordination with local extension agents.

The SADFONS project, is funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), to support the Government of Liberia’s Agenda for Inclusive Development and the National Agriculture Development Plan.

For more information on this activity please contact Oliver Musa Lavelah, FAO Liberia National Agronomist: [email protected]