Capacity building has been a priority for Liberia since the end of the civil war in 1996, with various strategies implemented to strengthen the country's workforce in conserving and sustainably managing its rich natural resources.
In a quest to support this initiative, the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), KNUST, has partnered with the Higher Education for Conservation (HECA) program to enhance capacity in forestry and related biodiversity at the University of Liberia and the Forestry Training Institute of Liberia.
HECA is a USAID-funded programme that is designed to harness the power of higher education sector to catalyse economic and social development. To facilitate the smooth implementation of this programme, a three-member delegation from Liberia has arrived at KNUST for a scoping visit.
Welcoming the delegation, the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Prof. Dadson Awunyo-Vitor, expressed his unwavering support for the initiative and assured them that all necessary measures are in place to ensure the programme’s success.
“Our relationship with Liberia dates back several years, your visit is timely, given the structure, facilities, and staff we have here, you are in good hands, and we are committed to delivering. We collaborate closely with FORIG and AROCHA, as evidenced by their representatives' presence today. We work as a team and it enables us to address key areas that require training,” Prof. Awunyo-Vitor stated.
He further emphasized the university's robust infrastructure for training, noting, “We have the Institute of Distance Learning, a strong platform for practical training, which we can deploy to support any initiatives you undertake. Whatever resources you need, we will provide.”
According to Dr. Boakai Keith Robertson, Chief of Party of HECA, the key objectives of the upcoming training program was to build the capacities of Liberians protect and preserve biodiversity while also advancing economic development, gender equality, youth empowerment, and the social inclusion of marginalised and vulnerable populations in Liberia, particularly Liberia’s forest-dwelling and forest-dependent communities.
Also present at the meeting were Mr. Prosper Antwi from AROCHA Ghana, Mr. Yakubu Mohammed from the Forestry Commission, Dr. Emmanuel Ebanyele from the Forest Research Institute of Ghana, and the Dean and lecturers from the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources.
