By Salomie Weah
MONROVIA, April 12 (LINA) – In a major effort to boost food security and reduce poverty in Liberia, Friends Committed to Caring International (FCCIL) has unveiled a transformative agricultural initiative aimed at empowering 20,000 Liberian families, primarily youth through sustainable farming programs.
Dr. Arnold Doobay, founder and president of FCCIL, revealed the initiative during an exclusive interview with the Liberia News Agency-LINA at the organization’s office in Brewerville, Montserrado County.
According to Dr. Doobay, the program will operate on over 8,000 acres of land donated by the communities of Chesmanburg in Montserrado County and Tienie District in Grand Cape Mount County.
Dr. Doobay, a veteran Christian missionary with over five decades of humanitarian experience, stated that the large-scale farming project will focus on rice cultivation, vegetable farming, and the development of a coconut industry, adding that the program will introduce mechanized farming methods to reduce manual labor and promote efficiency.
“With Liberia spending significant foreign exchange on rice imports, we believe producing rice locally will not only create jobs but also help the country save resources,” he said.
Each participating family will be allocated 10 acres of land and will receive full support from FCCIL, including cultivation tools, technical guidance, and access to processing facilities.
A modern rice processing plant is also planned to ensure that the harvested produce can be efficiently processed and distributed.
One of the program’s most ambitious components is a planned agricultural innovation hub dubbed “Seed for Rich.”
Dr. Doobay described it as a “massive dome” equipped with its own renewable electricity, atmospheric water generation, and climate-controlled conditions—allowing for year-round food production unaffected by external environmental factors.
“This is smart farming at its best. We want to move young people into agriculture by making it innovative, profitable, and sustainable. Our aim is not to encourage hard labor, but smart work,” Dr. Doobay emphasized.
In addition to agriculture, FCCIL plans to build a school ranging from kindergarten to post-secondary levels, along with a hospital and two clinics to support the communities involved in the project.
“We are not here for politics. Our goal is simple: to help people become self-sufficient. When you teach someone how to fish, they’ll feed themselves for life and that’s our mission,” he said.
FCCIL is a local arm of Mission for Advancing Theological Education (MATE), a Canadian Christian humanitarian organization founded in 1986. Initially a book ministry, MATE, has expanded its operations to 66 countries, providing aid in health, education, and agriculture.
FCCIL was established in Liberia in 2014 after persistent lobbying by Theophilus J. Kiadii, a Liberian based in Canada at the time. FCCIL’s first intervention in Liberia began in 2023 with a medical mission and the delivery of a 40-foot container of food supplies. In 2025, the organization conducted a second medical outreach and delivered an additional 60 boxes of medical supplies to hospitals including Redemption and JFK.
Theophilus Kiadii, affectionately known as “General” among local volunteers, now serves as FCCIL’s Country Director.
He left his job in Canada to return home and has been working on the ground for over 16 months in a voluntary capacity.
Dr. Doobay commended Kiadii’s dedication, noting, “He has made personal sacrifices for the betterment of his people. His leadership has been instrumental in helping us understand Liberia’s needs and plan our interventions accordingly.”
FCCIL is currently coordinating with the Ministry of Health to align its services with national priorities. Former Health Minister Dr. Peter Coleman is assisting the organization in navigating the health sector, while consultations are ongoing with the current Minister of Health to identify areas of need.
“We are not here to dictate—we are here to work with the people, especially those in rural communities. Real and lasting change comes when the local population is empowered,” Dr. Doobay concluded.