REALISE Rolls Out Climate-Smart Agriculture Across 240 Communities

Monrovia-June 2, 2025-Liberia’s agriculture sector, which once thrived as the backbone of the economy, is now facing a sobering reality. Despite the country’s vast arable land and favorable climatic conditions, farming in Liberia remains dominated by traditional methods that are increasingly proving inefficient and unsustainable. These methods, often passed down from generation to generation, rely heavily on outdated techniques such as slash-and-burn, rudimentary tools, and inconsistent crop management practices. As a result, Liberian farmers are stuck in a cycle where they exert tremendous effort but reap little reward—low yields, poor soil health, and food insecurity continue to plague rural communities.

In a country where over 60% of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods, these inefficiencies have far-reaching consequences. Liberia still relies heavily on food imports, including rice—its staple food—because local production cannot meet demand. The inability to harness modern agricultural tools and information systems further isolates farmers from potential markets, climate insights, and innovations that could enhance their productivity and resilience in the face of changing weather patterns and soil degradation.

The REALISE Project: A New Hope

In a bold move to change this narrative, the Recovery of Economic Activity for Liberian Informal Sector Employment (REALISE) Project has taken a strategic step forward. One of its key components, Community Livelihood and Agriculture Support (CLAS), is spearheading efforts to modernize agriculture through the promotion of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in beneficiary communities. CSA is an integrated approach to managing landscapes that aims to increase agricultural productivity sustainably, build resilience to climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions where possible.

To drive this transformation, REALISE has partnering with the Swedish-based tropical weather forecasting firm Ignitia, known for its cutting-edge solutions in climate-smart advisory services for smallholder farmers in West Africa. Ignitia’s contribution centers on the delivery of precise, hyper-local weather forecasts and agronomic advice, tailored specifically for the tropics. This data-driven support helps farmers make informed decisions on when and how to plant, irrigate, apply fertilizers, and harvest.

Ignitia and CLAS: Empowering Through Training

Under this partnership, Ignitia is conducting intensive training sessions on CSA practices for Service Providers under the CLAS component. These sessions are designed not just to inform but to transform—arming local service providers with the knowledge they need to serve as champions of CSA in their communities and for the beneficiaries. The training program is structured around key modules including: Site selection and land preparation, Pest and disease control, Seed selection and fertilizer application, Climate risk management using weather data, Food and nutrition security awareness

Once trained, these service providers will return to their communities to cascade this knowledge, impacting 240 rural communities across seven counties in Liberia. This large-scale rollout ensures that the CSA message does not remain in training rooms, but is deeply embedded in the grassroots of Liberian farming systems through beneficiaries of the project.

Farming in Liberia: The Current Picture

Liberia’s farmers face a multitude of challenges beyond outdated techniques. Poor infrastructure, limited access to markets, lack of finance, and minimal government support all contribute to a hostile environment for agriculture. Women, who make up a large percentage of agricultural laborers, often have limited access to land ownership and decision-making powers in farming communities.

Furthermore, Liberia’s agricultural calendar is highly sensitive to climate variability. Delays in rainfall or unexpected dry spells can wipe out entire harvests. In the absence of reliable weather forecasting and advisory services, farmers are left to guess—a risky endeavor with high stakes.

In such a context, the integration of CSA becomes not just desirable but necessary.

CSA vs. Traditional Farming: A Contrast

A Path Forward

The transition from traditional to climate-smart agriculture is not without its challenges. It requires investment in training, extension services, infrastructure, and sustained government and donor support. But the long-term benefits—improved food security, better farmer incomes, and environmental sustainability—far outweigh the costs.

As the CLAS component under the REALISE Project begins its rollout across its operating regions, the hope is that a new generation of farmers will emerge—well-informed, climate-resilient, and better equipped to transform their communities. Ignitia’s partnership marks a crucial turning point in using modern data to enhance age-old practices, making farming not just a livelihood, but a sustainable enterprise in Liberia.