Green Cities Inc. Launches Five-Day Composting Training in Ganta
Ganta, Nimba County – Green Cities Incorporated has kicked off a five-day composting engagement strategy training in Ganta, Nimba County, aimed at supporting the implementation of the Local Climate Action Plan (LCAP).
The training, which began at the Concern Women Center, brings together stakeholders including women, youth, and persons with disabilities. It features both classroom and field sessions designed to enhance knowledge of composting and waste management.
Classroom sessions cover themes such as “Introduction to Composting and Waste Management Principles” and “Composting Techniques and Economic Opportunities,” while the field sessions focus on “Hands-on Waste Auditing and Compost Pile Setup” and “Compost Management, Use, and Business Development.”
Providing an overview of the initiative, Mr. Oliver Williyan, Waste Specialist for Green Cities Inc., explained that the training builds on earlier stakeholder engagements with the Ganta City Authority, Liberia Marketing Association (LMA), and local communities.
“We want to help communities turn waste into wealth by focusing on the biodegradable component of waste—mainly food waste—that can be transformed into organic fertilizer through composting,” Williyan stated. “Instead of relying heavily on chemical fertilizers like NPK, this training will introduce participants to natural composting methods that benefit both crops and the environment.”
He further disclosed that an assessment was conducted across Liberia’s 15 counties, with Nimba and Grand Bassa selected as pilot areas. Ganta and Buchanan cities were chosen for the study due to their high levels of cross-border trade and food-related waste generation.
For his part, Mr. Boyle Guanue Sr., Green Cities’ focal person for Nimba, told reporters that the program aligns with efforts to improve solid waste management in Liberia.
“Green Cities is working in partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada to explore the establishment of waste management factories in Nimba and Grand Bassa,” Guanue explained. “The current training focuses on solid waste, particularly segregation and composting, while also laying the foundation for recycling initiatives.”
According to Guanue, 75 participants were selected from across Ganta to serve as community waste management ambassadors. They will be trained in waste collection, segregation, composting, and awareness-raising in their communities.
He added that negotiations are already underway for land acquisition to establish a waste management facility in Ganta, which will support the government’s ARREST agenda for environmental sustainability.
The training being conducted in collaboration with Liberia Environmental Protection Agency continues through September 2, 2025, with both theoretical and practical sessions, and is expected to strengthen community-led waste management efforts in Nimba County.
