Liberia’s Grain Coast; An Organic Farming Initiative Launches Campaign On Indiegogo
Sam Binda makes his living by planting okra, an African eggplant and other types of vegetables. His family relies on his farm’s yield as a source of food and mean for their upkeep. Binda is one of the members of CHAP – a community based farming organization. Liberia is just recovering from a civil war that lasted 13 years and left the country in perils socio-economically. Farmers like Binda and his neighbours have to come together and pool their efforts, tools and know-how in a bid to improve their livelihood.
For about a year now, Binda and other members of CHAP have been working with Grain Coast Inc. to promote organic farming. Grain Coast has been providing farmers like Binda tools and training to increase their farm yields and buying their surplus. It then sells the surplus in the capital Monrovia, where they fetch higher selling prices thus making a small profit to sustain Grain Coast operations.
Grain Coast now wants to extend its reach out to more Liberian farmers to produce even more organically grown produce. To help them raise the required financial support, Grain Coast has enlisted Indiegogo help and hopes through crowd sourcing and donations, it can give farmers like Binda more profit and a chance for a better quality of life.
About Grain Coast
It has been in operation in Liberia since 2011, and over the years it has been engaging farmers in commercial vegetable farming for sale in the Liberian domestic market. Grain Coast serves a range of customers that include restaurants, luxury hotels and supermarkets in the capital Monrovia. It also has a direct-to-consumer “vegetable box” product line resembling the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) schemes.
In their first year of operation, Grain Coast has a base of 50 customers and did earn a gross income of $33,000 USD. This year, it wants to increase its CSA subscribership to at least 100 with sale exceeding $60,000 USD.
“Grain Coast empowers Liberian farmers to grow delicious organic produce safely, sustainably and profitably.” Said Bills Tolbert, the Founder and CEO of Grain Coast. To help them achieve this goal, you can give your donation or simply put the word out on their quest. To give your donation visit their IndieGogo preview page or get more information by viewing their campaign video trailer launched just days before they officially joined Indiegogo.
As a show of gratitude, Grain Coast has assembled great perks that include a personalized post-card, opportunities for special dedication and a two person eco-tour of Liberia. Your contribution will go beyond the farms, beyond the business owners and even beyond the communities set to benefit. It will be a contribution towards a different kind of agriculture that epitomizes a sustainable and environment friendly farming. Grain Coast is not just trying to set up a successful farm, but also it is trying to be a role model that will inspire future agricultural entrepreneurs in Liberia, Africa and beyond.