Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on Sept 28, 2013 4:14:08 GMT 1
Beneficiaries of a UNDP Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grant Biodiversity Project in Handii, Fuamah District Bong County have applauded support to the training of men women in snail farming and honey production.
The project is being implemented by the West Africa Initiative of Liberia (WAIOL) and is aimed at delivering global environment benefits in the GEF thematic areas of biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, protection of international waters, and prevention of land degradation (desertification and deforestation) and elimination of persistent organic pollutants through community-based approaches.
At a recent graduation of a new batch of 43 graduates (22 females and 22 males) in Handii following a 12-month training, the District Commissioner of Handii District, Bong County Martin Kolleh thanked UNDP for support to the project.
He described the project as an economic weapon, adding that the local leadership will encourage more people to develop interest as a way of sustaining their families.
"The sale of honey has helped me send my children to school" says 41 year old Sando Mensah who originally comes from Grand Cape Mount County.
Madame Mensah said out of her six children she has been able to enroll four of them in primary and Day Care Institutions, adding that as a result of the training, she is involved in both snails and bees farming which have helped her open a provision shop. According to Madame Mensah, with income from both activities she has also been able to roof her home with zinc.
Meanwhile, the Programme Specialist of the Energy & Environment Unit at UNDP Moses Massah said the project has been highly instrumental in helping to conserve the forest, thus reducing the cutting down of trees to produce charcoal and the hunting of indigenous species.
He urged the graduates to use their skills for sustainable livelihood. "The Project is not closing with you. You have been given skills to make money and to improve the lives of your children" Mr. Massah noted.
The Executive Director of WAOIL Ezekiel Freeman said the activity started as a pilot project in Nimba County and was extended to Bong and Margibi counties. He called on trainees to take seriously the need to be persistent and consistent with the utilization of the skills they attained as a result of the training, describing the project as highly economical.
Mr. Freeman reported that the 30,000 US dollars provided by the UNDP/GEF Small Grant Project to implement this program has yielded economic results for beneficiaries and the Organization.
He said honey now being produced by trained local farmers engaged in such a venture is now being processed and sold in most supermarkets around Monrovia under the brand name "Liberia Pure Honey" and is better than the imported honey.
Mr. Freeman said a processing Unit has also been established to test the quality of honey before distribution and his organization is making frantic efforts to create an international market for the product which he noted is now in huge demand given improvement in marketing.
He also mentioned that one of the beneficiaries of the training who lives in Nimba Joe Gartie is one of the most successful bee keeping farmers who now has 150 bee hives and has been able to generate over 7,000 US dollars between 2012 and 2013 from the sale of honey.
Source: allafrica.com/stories/201309260546.html
The project is being implemented by the West Africa Initiative of Liberia (WAIOL) and is aimed at delivering global environment benefits in the GEF thematic areas of biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, protection of international waters, and prevention of land degradation (desertification and deforestation) and elimination of persistent organic pollutants through community-based approaches.
At a recent graduation of a new batch of 43 graduates (22 females and 22 males) in Handii following a 12-month training, the District Commissioner of Handii District, Bong County Martin Kolleh thanked UNDP for support to the project.
He described the project as an economic weapon, adding that the local leadership will encourage more people to develop interest as a way of sustaining their families.
"The sale of honey has helped me send my children to school" says 41 year old Sando Mensah who originally comes from Grand Cape Mount County.
Madame Mensah said out of her six children she has been able to enroll four of them in primary and Day Care Institutions, adding that as a result of the training, she is involved in both snails and bees farming which have helped her open a provision shop. According to Madame Mensah, with income from both activities she has also been able to roof her home with zinc.
Meanwhile, the Programme Specialist of the Energy & Environment Unit at UNDP Moses Massah said the project has been highly instrumental in helping to conserve the forest, thus reducing the cutting down of trees to produce charcoal and the hunting of indigenous species.
He urged the graduates to use their skills for sustainable livelihood. "The Project is not closing with you. You have been given skills to make money and to improve the lives of your children" Mr. Massah noted.
The Executive Director of WAOIL Ezekiel Freeman said the activity started as a pilot project in Nimba County and was extended to Bong and Margibi counties. He called on trainees to take seriously the need to be persistent and consistent with the utilization of the skills they attained as a result of the training, describing the project as highly economical.
Mr. Freeman reported that the 30,000 US dollars provided by the UNDP/GEF Small Grant Project to implement this program has yielded economic results for beneficiaries and the Organization.
He said honey now being produced by trained local farmers engaged in such a venture is now being processed and sold in most supermarkets around Monrovia under the brand name "Liberia Pure Honey" and is better than the imported honey.
Mr. Freeman said a processing Unit has also been established to test the quality of honey before distribution and his organization is making frantic efforts to create an international market for the product which he noted is now in huge demand given improvement in marketing.
He also mentioned that one of the beneficiaries of the training who lives in Nimba Joe Gartie is one of the most successful bee keeping farmers who now has 150 bee hives and has been able to generate over 7,000 US dollars between 2012 and 2013 from the sale of honey.
Source: allafrica.com/stories/201309260546.html
