AID grant to Protestant Episcopal Church (PEC/USA) for an agricultural technology training program in Liberia

The RDI will offer a 2-year agricultural technology program for high school graduates, training 60-75 subprofessional agricultural workers yearly to help subsistence farmers improve production and income. The RDI curriculum, to be designed with the help of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), will emphasize the practical application of knowledge to traditional agriculture and will teach techniques for transferring modern methods to subsistence farmers. Courses are taught in animal husbandry, vegetable production, farm management, cooperatives, basic agricultural economics, rural sociology, and cultivation of tree crops, fruits, rice, and cereals. Curriculum and farm training are designed to take account of health hazards posed by the application of new technologies. Graduates will be employed as Government of Liberia cadre (extension aides, research assistants, soil survey and mapping aides) in government integrated rural development projects (mid-level and farm management technicians and rural development generalists). RDI will use some CUC"s existing facilities and staff. Expatriates will form the agricultural faculty while Liberian counterparts are trained in U.S. and African countries in animal science, horticulture, agronomy, agricultural economics, and agricultural engineering. RDI will also provide in-service training and short courses to MOA staff. At the end of the project, CUC will assume full support for RDI, with the cooperation of the GOL and the Episcopal Church. Increased recurrent costs will be met from tuition charges, help from GOL and private sources, and more cost-effective operations. Although some facilities will be shared, new dormitories, staff housing, small classroom, storage facility will be constructed to provide RDI with a separate area on campus in order to avoid cultural conflict between college students and agricultural workers. The project director will coordinate activities, recruit faculty, consultants, and Liberian counterparts, and arrange for construction of facilities.