Liberia’s national biodiversity strategy and action plan

Environmental Relief and Development Research Organization (ERADRO) is involved with the promotion of extension services in the field to identify and resolve health problems arising from environmental factors in basic principles of environmental research, social mobilization, animation of health/hygiene education, solid/domestic waste programmes in schools and communities.

Involved in advocacy for waste management and disposal; organizes nature clubs in schools and supports drama clubs in communities; has established a botanic garden, in Johnsonville, Montserrado County.

The Liberia Indigenous Forum for the Environment strives to work with local communities to bring about awareness and empowerment on matters of environmental and conservation concerns. One of its major thrusts is to ensure that traditional knowledge is respected and maintained in Liberia, and promoted in conservation of biodiversity, especially promotion of medicinal plants. LIFE has been concerned about the state of timber operations, especially the fate of some timber species thought to be threatened or vulnerable. LIFE seeks to contribute to sustainable timber management and benefit sharing by local communities in Liberia.

Mission is to promote sustainable development of Liberia’s natural and human resources. The activities are mostly community-based, involving indigenous and local community people. SAMFU’s major technique is the participatory rural appraisal method. SAMFU gathers and disseminates information on the activities of multinational companies operating in Liberia, especially those working in the extractive industries.

LCDF implements short and long-term community integrated development projects in conjunction with local community people to enable them alleviate poverty and secure lasting improvement in their quality of lives. LCDF’s aims are to:

1. 
   Organizes basic business ‘management training programs
   
2. 
   Effects micro credit programs
   
3. 
   Develops intensive agriculture programs;
   
4. 
   Upgrades health and sanitation in local communities;
   
5. 
   Provides education to the disadvantaged/underprivileged
   

The Mission of AGRHA is to “Ensure Sustainable Food Security for Rural Liberian Households”. The vision is “A Liberia where rural Liberian households create sustainable food security for themselves”.

The organization was founded to assist peasant farmers in the formulation and management of agricultural and rural development community-based programmes that have direct focus on household food security and the provision of infrastructure assets, leading to self-reliance and poverty reduction

The organization strives to respond to the increasing needs of people with epilepsy. The objectives are as follows:

1. 
   To raise public awareness about epilepsy and its effects
   
2. 
   To provide care in local communities and displaced centers
   
3. 
   To improve the quality of lives of people with epilepsy
   
4. 
   To dissemination information about represent the rights and interests of people with the disease
   

The four major objectives are to:

1. 
   Creates public awareness about the economic, environmental, aesthetic, cultural and recreational values of the forest resources through education, publication and research.
   
2. 
   Promotes the wise use of forest and its associated resources
   
3. 
   Provides consultancy to private forest owners and forest concessionaires
   
4. 
   Works with other organizations with the view of promoting conservation of forest resources
   

Links people and communities to the environment through advocacy, awareness, education, training and research; involved in environmental impact assessment in collaboration with the EPA and other environmental institutions.

Based in Southeastern Liberia, GECOMSA is the forerunner of community-based initiatives to promote the sustainable management of wildlife through a sustained awareness campaign and identification of alternative programs. They conduct campaign on sustainable bushmeat consumption. They are involved in bush meat awareness and sustainable development in Southeastern Liberia, as well as environmental education in Grand Gedeh and River Gee Counties.

Uses science, economics, policy, and community involvement to promote biodiversity conservation in tropical rain forests and other endangered ecosystems worldwide. CI works in 23 countries in Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific Region. CI is a field-based, non-profit organization that protects the Earth’s biologically richest areas.

The mission statement of UMU is “to provide quality education within a Pan African context through which persons can acquire general and professional knowledge and skills within the framework of Christian values and ethics. This level of education is built on the foundation of Christian and moral principals”.

should incorporated in school curricula and research programmes.

Operates a rubber plantation in Grand Bassa County; has developed pasturelands and once dealt in raising cattle; develops rubber clones for its own use.

3.4.4 Employment for Biodiversity Management and Conservation

Human resources involved with biodiversity in Liberia are limited. This limitation is characterized by the lack of adequate trained personnel and the migration of trained personnel to developed countries. Most of the already trained personnel are within the agriculture, forestry and biological areas. These few adequately trained personnel are found within the public and private sectors. The public sector that employs human resources in biodiversity is government ministries and corresponding autonomous agencies. Among these are the MOA, MLME, MRD, MIA, FDA, EPA, Bureau of Maritime Affairs, Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), and Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC). Also local and international NGOs employ people trained in biological sciences.

The Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy employs few professionals in the areas of hydrology, cartography, survey, geology, meteorology, mining engineering, remote sensing and aerospace science. It has the statutory responsibility for the development of mineral, water and energy resources of the country and the administration of its lands. This institution is the focal point for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification; works along with the Ministry of Agriculture and the University of Liberia to conduct training and research on land rehabilitation.