TOUCHING
LIVES
AN OVERVIEW OF THE UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH AGRICULTURE
PROGRAM
PRESENTED BY
FTH. JAMES G. INNIS
DIRECTOR
OVERVIEW
LIBERIA AS A COUNTRY IS ENDOWED WITH
ABUNDANCE OF VEGETATION AND NATURAL
RESOURCES:
APPROPRIATE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
RICH SOIL
DIVERSE VEGETATION
HUGE TROPICAL FOREST
AND MORE
A PICTORIAL OF LIBERIA’S RICH
VEGETATION
THE CHURCH AND
AGRICULTURE
THE AGRICULTURE MINISTRY OF THE UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH WAS ORGANIZED TO
PUT GOD’S LOVE INTO ACTION BY CREATING
THE POSIBILITIES OF CARING FOR THE POOR,
FEEDING THE HUNGRY AND PROVIDING
EMPOWERMENT FOR THE DISADVANTAGED
PEOPLE---ENHANCING SPIRITUAL LIVES
THROUGH PRACTICAL ACTIONS
THE MINISTRY WILL DO THE
FOLLOWING:
 SERVES
AS A MEANS OF GOOD
STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S CREATION
 TEACH FARMERS NEW TECHNIQUES AND
FARMING METHODS
 EMPOWER POOR VILLAGERS AGAINST THE
DEPENDENCY SYNDROME
 EQUIPS PEOPLE TO PROVIDE FOR
THEMSELVES AND OTHERS THE BASIC
NECESSITIES OF LIFE
HISTORY OF THE UMCAP
 UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH AGRICULTURE
PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE SIXTIES
 IT WAS STARTED BY AMERICAN
MISSIONERIES
 THE PRIMARY INTENT WAS TO EMPOWER
MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO EMPOWER
THEMSELVES THROUGH AGRICULTURAL
ENTERPRISE
SUCCESS OF EARLY UMCAP
ACTIVITIES
SIX VIBRANT AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
WERE ESTABLISHED AROUND LIBERIA:
 DECOURSEY FARM-LOCATED 20 MILES
NORTH OF MONROVIA INCLUDE 50 ACRES
OF PALM TRESS
 WHITE PLAINS PROJECT-LOCATED 15 MILES
NORTH-WEST OF LIBERIA INCLUDES 100
ACRES OF PALM, LIVESTOCK, AND FRUITS

AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS
CONT.



GBARNGA PROJECT –LOCATED IN RURAL
LIBERIA INCLUDES ____ ACRES OF RUBBER TREES
GBASON TOWN AGRICULTURE AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTLOCATED IN SINOE, RURAL LIBERIA
ALL PROJECTS INCLUDED AN INTEGRATED SET
OF AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES RANGING FROM
VEGETATION, CROP PRODUCTION, CATTLE,
PIG, POULTRY, RUBBER, AND OIL PALM
PRODUCTION
MORE ACTIVITIES BY
MISSIONARIES


THEY ESTABLISHED MINI STORES IN AREAS
CLOSE TO WHERE FARM ACTIVITIES WERE
CARRIED OUT-THE STORES HAD ON SALE FRESH
VEGETABLES CHICKENS AND EGGS, MEAT
(CATTLE AND PIG), FRESH FISH, PALM
PRODUCTS ETC
THE SUCCESS OF THE UMCAP PROGRAME
PROVIDED INCOME FOR THE LIBERIA ANNUAL
CONFERENCE; EMPLOYMENT FOR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS; AND SUPPORTED OTHER
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
UMCAP AND THE WAR
 THE
ONSET OF THE WAR IN 1989 AND CIVIL
WAR IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS HAD A
DEVASTATING IMPACT ON LIBERIANS.
 BUT THROUGH IT ALL, UMCAP WAS THERE
WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF AGRICULTURAL
PROJECTS INVOLVING 50,000 FARMERS IN
60 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY BASED
PROJECTS
UMCAP AND HER PARTNERS
UMCAP PARTNER WITH SEVERAL MAJOR DONORS
TO REACH OUT TO LIBERIANS:
1.
EUROPEAN UNION-SWAMP DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT & TREE CROP REHABILITATION
2.
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES-SWAMP
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
3.
UMCOR-EMERGENCY AGRICULTURE PROJECTS
4.
UNOCHA-EMERGENCY AGRICULTURE
PROJECTS
VISION
TO CREATE AN ALTERNATE INCOME SOURCE
OF THE CHURCH, WHILE IMPROVING THE
QUALITY OF LIFE OF ITS MEMBERS AND OTHER
LIBERIANS THROUGH TECHNICAL SKILLS AND
APPROPRIATE AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY
FOR INCREASE CASH CROP PRODUCTION,
THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO THE REALIZATION
OF THE MISSION OF THE UMC; TO MAKE
DESCIPLES FOR JESUS CHRIST THROUGH
HOLISTIC MINISTRY
MISSION
 UMCAP
IS COMMITTED TO SUSTAINED
FOOD SECURITY AND AGRO-BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF ITS HOLISTIC
MINISTRY AT COMMUNITY LEVEL,
REGARDLESS OF CREED AND RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION FOR THE TRANSFORMATION
AND IMPROVEMENT OF HUMAN LIVES,
SPIRITUALLY, SOCIALLY, AND
ECONOMICALLY
PROBLEM STATEMENT
THE CIVIL CRISIS DEALT A SERIOUS BLOW TO ALL
SECTORS OF LIBERIA INCLUDING AGRICULTURE.
ALL PROGRAMS STARTED BY THE MISSIONARIES
WERE EITHER DESTROYED OR LOOTED
10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD SINCE THE WAR
OFFICIALLY ENDED, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED
WITH CHALLENGES IN THE UMCAP PROGRAM IN
LIBERIA
PROBLEM STATEMENT CONT.
AT
THE NATIONAL LEVEL, FOOD
AND CASH CROP PRODUCTION
DECLINED AND STILL POSE A
SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR FOOD
SECURITY UP TILL TODAY IN
MANY VILLAGES, DISTRICTS AND
HOUSEHOLDS
REVIVING UMCAP IN LIBERIA
IN
ORDER TO REVIVE THE
AGRICULTURE PROGRAM
MINISTRIES OF THE UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH IN
LIBERIA…WE HAVE SET THE
BELOW GOALS TARGET:
GOALS
1. TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SKILLS
(APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY) TO
LIBERIAN FARMERS, INCREASE THEIR
FARM PRODUCTION AND AVOID LOST
OF CROPS (POST HARVEST LOST) AND
LAND PRESERVATION (THROUGH THE
PREVENTION OF SOIL EROSION AND
DESERT ENCROACHMENT).
GOALS
2. TO PUT MORE OF THE CHURCH’S
AGRICULTURAL LAND UNDER
PRODUCTION TO PROVIDE INCOME
FOR THE CONFERENCE AND CREATE
JOBS FOR MEMBERS OF OUR CHURCH
AND NON-METHODISTS (MOSTLY IN
RURAL COMMUNITIES)
GOALS
3. TO GENERATE REVENUE FOR THE ANNUAL
CONFERENCE BUDGET AS WELL AS DISTRICTS
CONFERENCES AND MISSION STATIONS.
4. TO WITNESS TO THE HEALING AND SAVING GRACE
OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH OUR CONTACTS WITH
LIBERIAN FARMERS AND BUYERS, NOT ONLY IN TERMS
OF SHARING THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD IN CHRIST, BUT
TO ALSO IMPACT THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN
PREACTICAL WAYS AS JESUS DID
THE WAY FORWARD
TO ENSURE MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY
FOR CULTIVATING AT LEAST 50% OF
OUR MORE THAN 2,800 HECTARES OR
7000 ACRES OF FARMLAND AS
SPELLED OUT IN PLAN HEREIN
ATTACHED DURING OUR FIVE YEAR
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
THE WAY FORWARD
2.
EMBARK ON LIVESTOCK
PRODUCTION, WITH EMPHASIS
ON PIG, POULTRY, CATTLE, AND
INLAND FISH FARMING AT LOCAL,
DISTRICTS, AND CONFERENCE
LEVELS BY THE YEAR 2015
PRIORITY ON RUBBER AND OIL
PALM
UMCAP’S PROGRAM FOR
AGRICULTURE REHABILATATION WILL
FOCUS ON RUBBER AND OIL AS
PRIORITY CROPS TO ACCERLERATE
INCOME GENERATION AND ENSURE
SUSTAINABILITY OF INVESTMENT OVER
THE LONG RUN
RUBBER
RUBBER IS ONE OF LIBERIA’S MOST
IMPORTANT CASH CROP. TODAY IT
COVERS A LAND SPACE OF AROUND
120 HECTARES OR 300,000 ACRES. IT
REMAINS ONE MAJOR AREA OF
INVESTMENT FOR MANY LIBERIANS
AND FOREIGN CONCESSIONS
RUBBER’S VALUE
RUBBER HAS A HIGH ECONOMIC
VALUE AS IT IS THE SOURCE OR RAW
MATERIAL FOR MANY PRODUCTS
INCLUDING TIRES, FOOTWEAR, CABLE
INSULATORS, UTENSILS AND MORE.
RUBBER MATURES IN 5-6 YEARS AND
HAS A PRODUCTIVE LIFE SPAN OF 3035 YEARS.
RUBBER’S YEILD
THE AVERAGE YEILD OF RUBBER IS
BETWEEN 1500-2500 POUNDS PER
ACRE PER ANNUM. AT CURRENT RATE,
A TON OF UNPROCESSED RUBBER IS
USD 1,150.00 ON THE LOCAL LIBERIAN
MARKET
OIL PALM
OIL PALM HAS A TOTAL LAND
COVERAGE OF 55,000 HECTARES WITH
A PRODUCTION OF 27,000 TONS PER
ANNUM. OUT OF THIS AMOUNT, 22,000
TONS WERE USED FOR DOMESTIC
CONSUMPTION DURING PRE-WAR
YEARS.
OIL PALM YEILD
OIL PALM COMES INTO PRODUCTION IN 4-5
YEARS AFTER TRANSPLANTING AND
CONTINUE TO BEAR FRUITS FOR FIFTY YEARS.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF OIL IN
TROPICAL AFRICA AND HAS A HIGHER YEILD
PER UNIT THAN ANY OTHER CASH CROP.
THE PALM TREE IS ONE OF AFRICA’S MOST
DIVERSIFIED SOURCE OF MANY DIFFERENT
PRODUCTS.
UMCAP’S APPEAL
THE TREE IS A SYMBOL OF LIFE AND HOPE
IT MUST BE CAREFULLY AND WONDERFULLY LOOKED
AFTER TO ENSURE GOD’S PEOPLE LIVES ARE BETTER
UMCAP IS WORKING FOR THE SOURCE OF HOPE AND
BETTER LIVE FOR GOD’S PEOPLE WHICH IS THE TREE AS A
SYMBOL OF AGRICULTURE; WE THEREFORE
KINDLY REQUESTS YOUR CONTINUED
ASSISTANCE IN CASH OR KIND FOR
 FARM INPUTS (seeds, tools, fertilizers,
breeding stocks, stumps, and seedlings)
 TRANSPORTATION
 TRAINING AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
and
 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE