Enterprise School Garden

4-H Liberia believes that one of the best and most sustainable ways to develop young people is by empowering them in agriculture. 4-H Liberia has 80 clubs and approximately 3,000 members. 45% of the members are females. The clubs are involved in Enterprise School Gardens in 6 of Liberia’s 15 counties- Gbarpolu, Bong, Bomi, Margibi, Montserrado and Lofa Counties. The goal of the project is to develop the leadership, agricultural, and life skills of 4-H Club members to improve the socioeconomic conditions of club members and their families in Liberia.

Objectives

· To equip students to become competent and self-sufficient in food production

· To scout out future farmers

· To inspire students to become productive citizens

· To enhance students’ potential in premier leadership

· The school garden is used as a platform for learning agriculture

· The garden is an outdoor laboratory for teaching general science

· The garden is a bridge that links the gap between community members and school authorities, promoting interaction between the school and the community

· Promote the preservation of the environment by teaching students about planting trees to replace the resources that were taken from the environment for firewood.

To implement this project, 4-H Liberia has 1 Field Staff in each of the 6 counties. The Field Staff work with the schools’ agriculture or science teachers to develop their capacity in agriculture education and provide them with curriculum to enhance their teaching. The minimum requirement for one to serve as a 4-H Liberia Field Staff is to have an Associate Degree in Agriculture.