The Recovery of Economic Activity for Liberian Informal Sector Employment (REALISE) Project has commissioned a rice mill and communal farming initiative in Freeman Farm, Bong County, as part of efforts to strengthen agricultural production, household incomes and economic opportunities for vulnerable rural communities.

The commissioning on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, brought together project officials, local authorities, community representatives and beneficiaries as REALISE marked the completion of its second round of implementation under the Community Livelihood and Agriculture Support (CLAS) component.

But beyond the commissioning, the event highlighted a critical question: whether the productive assets and agricultural activities can remain viable after the project's scheduled completion at the end of December.

REALISE is a Government of Liberia program supported by the World Bank, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the French Development Agency. It is implemented through the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

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Speaking at the ceremony, REALISE Project Coordinator Jesse H. Bengu said the commissioning represented an important phase in efforts to leave communities with productive assets capable of generating benefits beyond direct project support.

He said REALISE operates across 14 of Liberia's 15 counties, with its agricultural component implemented in selected rural counties.

National project information indicates that REALISE targets 53,650 vulnerable households and informal workers, while the World Bank has reported that approximately 53,000 households, representing about 265,000 people, have benefited across 14 counties. Officials clarified that figures presented at Freeman Farm referred specifically to the implementation round and agricultural component rather than the entire national program.

Under CLAS, rural beneficiaries are organized into farming groups and provided agricultural inputs, technical assistance and other support intended to increase food production and strengthen household livelihoods.

The World Bank describes CLAS as an initiative aimed at improving livelihood opportunities and resilience among poor and food-insecure households in climate-vulnerable rural communities. The approach combines agricultural inputs, grants, climate-smart agriculture training and market linkages.

Liberia's development dashboard indicates that beneficiary farming groups receive US1,680todevelopfarmingsub-projects,whilecommunitiesreceiveanadditionalUS1,800 community development grant for infrastructure. The program also provides a US350laborsubsidytofarming-groupmembersandUS150 to community oversight committee members, subject to performance, alongside training and market-linkage support.

At Freeman Farm, beneficiaries said the intervention went beyond financial assistance by providing agricultural knowledge and community infrastructure.

Solomon M. Moore of Beeyeamah Community said beneficiaries received training in farming, climate-smart agriculture, gender-based violence prevention, life skills and financial management. He said men and women were equally represented in the beneficiary-selection process.

Moore said his community used its development support to purchase a rice mill and construct a structure to house the equipment.

The mill is now operational and has the potential to provide processing services beyond the original beneficiary group. For rice-producing communities, local milling could reduce transportation costs and help retain more economic value locally.

However, its long-term success will depend on effective management, maintenance, spare parts, energy or fuel costs and sufficient rice volumes to keep the facility viable.

Bengu told participants that REALISE was entering a transition period, with responsibility for maintaining gains increasingly shifting to beneficiaries and local authorities.

"The communities are already on their feet," he said, stressing the importance of local authorities supervising activities and helping communities sustain them.

He said REALISE was working with government institutions, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Internal Affairs, to encourage continuity after the project ends.

The sustainability question is significant because REALISE is scheduled to conclude on December 31, 2026.

The transition comes as agriculture remains central to Liberia's economy and livelihoods. The World Bank reported in 2026 that agriculture accounted for approximately 33.8 percent of Liberia's GDP in 2024 and remained a major source of livelihoods, while about 87 percent of workers were engaged in smallholder farming or unregistered micro-enterprises.

Increasing agricultural production alone, however, does not guarantee higher household incomes if farmers continue to face limited markets, poor roads, inadequate storage, insufficient finance, limited machinery and unreliable energy.

The Freeman Farm commissioning represents more than a rice mill and communal farmland. It is also a test of whether community-owned agricultural assets can continue operating after externally financed project support ends.

The rice mill will require transparent management, regular maintenance and sustainable operating revenue, while the communal farm will require continued access to land, labor, seeds, tools and markets.

Beneficiaries will also have to determine how revenues are distributed and how much is reinvested to maintain and expand the activities.

Recent REALISE monitoring activities in Bong, Nimba, Grand Bassa and Rivercess have focused on beneficiary feedback and assessing effects on household income, agricultural production and livelihoods.

At Freeman Farm, beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the assistance while calling for continued support.

But with REALISE approaching its December deadline, the challenge is changing. The question is no longer simply whether communities can receive assistance, but whether they can manage, maintain and expand what has been created.

As REALISE moves toward completion, Freeman Farm offers a practical test of whether temporary development support can become a lasting economic opportunity for Liberia's vulnerable rural households.