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Liberia

Farmer Profile — Suliman Kamara

Catching up with Suliman Kamara is no easy task. Not only does Suliman farm a one-acre plot at the Silver Mine farm in Sutton, growing produce for the World PEAS Co-op, but he also works as New Entry's Marketing Coordinator. He is responsible for planning the season's production, coordinating with all of the participating farmers, and supervising the sale of their harvests at weekly farmer's markets, wholesale outlets, as well as the CSA.

Suliman comes from Liberia, where he had many years' experience in agriculture. With degrees in agronomy and service in the Ministry of Agriculture, Suliman brings valuable management and professional skills to New Entry. Today he lives in Worcester with his wife and three children.

Suliman grows broccoli, collard greens, cabbage, peppers, several varieties of eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, Palava sauce, sweet potato greens, summer squash, and fenugreek, and more.

Update (May, 2008). Suliman has returned to his native Liberia and making strides on agricultural development.

Country Facts

Founded by freed American and Caribbean slaves, Liberia enjoyed relative calm until a coup in 1980 sparked riots over food prices. More than a decade of civil war was ended with a peace agreement in 2003. The National Transitional Government of Liberia assumed control in the fall of 2003 but security still remains volatile.

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North
Atlantic Ocean
Capital: Monrovia
Area: Total: 111,370 sq km, Land: 96,320 sq km, Water: 15,050 sq km
Climate: Tropical, hot, and humid
Terrain: Mostly flat, rolling coastal plains, rolling plateau and low mountains
in the northeast
Land Use: Arable land: 3.95%, Permanent crops: 2.28%
Irrigated Land: 30 square km
Environmental Issues: Rainforest deforestation, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, pollution of coastal waters
Population: 3,482,211
Life Expectancy: 38.89 years
GDP per capita: $110
Under 5 mortality rate (per 1000 live births): 235
Ethnic Groups: Indigenous African tribes including: Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandigo, and Mende, as well as Americo-Liberians
Languages: English, African languages belonging to the Mande, Kwa, and Mel linguistic groups
Major Religions: Christianity, Islam, and indigenous beliefs

Agriculture

The rain forest soils, while well drained, are strongly leached, making Liberia better adapted to tree-crop agriculture than to annual field-crop production. The major rubber, rice, coffee, cocoa, vegetable, and fruit producing areas lie outside of Monrovia. Rubber is the leading cash crop, with production in 1999 estimated at 35,000 tons. Before the war, six foreign-owned concessions produced over two-thirds of the rubber crop, with Firestone's Harbel plantation as the biggest in the world. Firestone ended its long association with Liberian rubber production with the sale of its interests to the Japanese-owned Bridgestone in 1988.

Agriculture Products: Rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava, palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Traditional Foods

Rice is the staple food in Liberia. It is often eaten with meat or fish sauces. Fufu, made from cassava, is a traditional food.

Soups and stews are popular. Palm oil is used in cooking.

Vegetables available include aubergines, cabbages, carrots, cassava, okra, peppers, plantains, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.

Tropical fruits are bananas, citrus fruits, coconuts, mangoes, papayas and pineapples. Peanuts are grown.

Coffee is produced. Local drinks are ginger beer, palm wine, and beer.