Women in Agriculture for Sustainable Development (WASUDEV) recently concluded a successful day-long capacity-building training for women in agriculture, held in Paynesville City. The training, themed “Grooming Successful Women Agribusiness Leaders,” brought together women from Paynesville and Johnsonville to enhance their skills and knowledge in agribusiness.

WASUDEV, a local nongovernmental organization, is dedicated to improving the living conditions of women and girls in rural communities. They focus on human solidarity, agribusiness development, and local economic empowerment, striving to create prosperity, peace, security, and women’s representation in decision-making.

During the training, Deputy Gender Minister Madam Alice Johnson-Howard emphasized the importance of women joining forces in agriculture to boost food production. She noted that Liberia has the resources needed to produce sufficient food and urged women to take agriculture seriously. Minister Howard encouraged participants to be innovative, use their skills and technology, and avoid distractions that could undermine their work.

Dr. Cheryl A. Williams, Gender and Social Development Specialist at the Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the need for economic empowerment for women in agriculture. She explained that economically empowered women could reduce violence against women and girls, as they would be less vulnerable to exploitation. Dr. Williams urged the participants to take advantage of the numerous grant opportunities available at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Madam Hawa Dunor Varney, the founder of WASUDEV, stressed the critical role women play in agriculture. She noted that women are essential in linking rural and urban markets through informal networks, thus enhancing crop production for income generation. However, women often face structural and technical barriers that limit their access to land, information, finance, infrastructure, technologies, and markets.

The training aimed to equip women with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in the agriculture sector. It covered key areas such as entrepreneurship, opportunity identification, value creation, risk management, resourcefulness, networking, sales and marketing, and financial literacy. The workshop brought together thirty participants, including small-scale farmers, business owners, and university students, to foster innovative ideas that can address societal problems and promote economic and social development.

In Liberia, women constitute over 93% of crop farmers, making agriculture a vital area for improving household livelihoods. The National Gender Profile of Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods (2018) underscores the importance of empowering women in this sector to drive economic growth and development.