By Nukanah Kollie
As the midday sun scorches the fields, Amos Holder watches helplessly as delicate flowers wither and drop from their stems before they can bear fruit. It’s a silent but devastating sign, without pollination, there will be no harvest.
“The heat is relentless,” he says, shaking his head. “The flowers don’t even get a chance to turn into crops. They just fall off.”
Beyond the heat, another battle looms—water. The once-reliable rains now come in erratic bursts, leaving the soil either parched or drowned.
For farmers like Holder in Liberia, the solution isn’t just hoping for better weather but preparing for the worst.
“If we can capture and store the little rain that does fall, we can use it to support our crops during the dry months,” he explains. His vision is clear: reservoirs, storage tanks, and irrigation systems that could mean the difference between abundance and hunger.
But without action, the fields will remain at the mercy of an unforgiving climate.
In coastal areas, rising sea levels are leading to flooding and erosion, while inland areas experience stronger winds that damage crops and homes. A massive flood in the Zubatan region wiped out a 35-hectare rice farm, highlighting the devastating impacts of climate change.
A 2024 survey on climate change and migration by New Narratives, conducted across five counties, found that nine out of ten farmers were considering migration due to climate challenges.
Many farmers reported that their livelihoods were no longer sustainable, with 73% seeking better economic opportunities. Some considered migrating for education or work, while others thought of relocating within the country or abroad, particularly to the United States. However, experts warned that this desperation could make farmers vulnerable to traffickers and scammers.
To address these challenges, CARI has been working on solutions to help farmers adapt. One promising strategy is the introduction of faster-maturing rice varieties, which allow farmers to shorten the gap between harvests.
These rice varieties, taking about 90 days to mature compared to traditional varieties that take 120 to 150 days, enable farmers to harvest more frequently, even in unpredictable climates, helping to reduce hunger and stabilize food supplies.
Mr. Holder is an advocate for early-maturing rice, which he believes will ensure a regular supply of rice and reduce dependence on imports. Additionally, farmers in Panta District are now growing new varieties like diabetic-black rice, purple rice, and jasmine red rice, which are better suited to the changing climate.
Despite the challenges, Mr. Ndebeh remains hopeful. He stresses the importance of switching to faster-growing crop varieties to cope with climate change.
“The longer it takes for a crop to mature, the more vulnerable it is to climate changes. By choosing quicker-growing varieties, we can ensure a dependable food supply, even with weather uncertainties,” he says. He also advocates for improving water management, suggesting that farmers build reservoirs to capture excess rainfall and use it during drier months.
Amos Holder highlights the importance of collective action. “Farmers need to come together and collaborate with the government,” he says. He suggests practices like rolling farming, which involves growing crops on slopes and hills, to improve yields and protect against extreme weather. Conservation farming, which uses organic materials or grass to protect soil from evaporation, is another strategy that can help retain moisture and support crop growth.
CARI has also introduced varieties from international sources, including 15 lines from Indonesia and Dubai, designed to thrive in challenging conditions, such as high salt in coastal areas or iron-rich soils in inland regions. These varieties are part of CARI’s broader strategy to equip farmers with resilient crops.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, the past decade has been the hottest on record, with 2024 being the warmest year yet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that 3.3 billion people are highly vulnerable to climate risks, including food and water insecurity. The IPCC’s report highlights how climate change is severely affecting agriculture, leading to reduced productivity and increasing the risk of global food insecurity.
Joseph Ndebeh at the same time recites the role of government policies in supporting farmers. He notes that the government has been introducing early-maturing rice varieties, like the V4, which are designed to withstand tough conditions caused by climate change. However, he acknowledges that encouraging farmers to adopt these changes remains a challenge.
One group leading these efforts is Panta Pride, a local farming collective based in Bong County. Partnering with the Ministry of Agriculture, Panta Pride has been at the forefront of growing early-maturing rice varieties, including the diabetic-black rice, beans, and other resilient crops highlighted by Amos Holder. By adopting these crops, Panta Pride is helping to safeguard food security in the region, allowing farmers to withstand the pressures of climate change while contributing to the national goal of increasing domestic food production.
“The future of agriculture in Liberia depends on farmers’ willingness to innovate and adapt,” he says. “We must think outside the box and use our resources wisely.” Ndebeh believes that with continued investment in infrastructure and better access to financing and technical support, Liberia’s agricultural sector can thrive.
“We can’t keep relying on imports forever. We have the land, we have the climate, and with the right strategies, we can make Liberia self-sufficient in food production,” he concludes.
