The USAID Higher Education for Conservation (HECA), in partnership with the Center of Excellence in Forestry, Biodiversity and Conservation (FBC Center), hosts Green Enterprise Development and Innovation (GEDI) Hub Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

On Thursday, October 24, 2024, the Center of Excellence in Forestry, Biodiversity and Conservation (FBC Center), in partnership with the U.S. government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), conducted the Green Enterprise Development and Innovation (GEDI) Hub launch at the University of Liberia Fendell Campus, T.J. Faulkner College of Science and Technology Complex. The ribbon cutting ceremony marks a significant milestone in providing green enterprise and innovation related training and generating green

employment opportunities for Liberia’s youth. The FBC Center and GEDI hub are strategically co-located at the T.J. Faulkner College of Science and Technology Complex where “Made in Liberia” green products will be displayed at the GEDI hub.

The Deputy Minister of Commerce and Trade Mr. Wilmot A. Reeves, Managing Director, Forestry Development Agency (FDA), Rudolph Merab, along with green enterprises, FBC Center staff, HECA Fellows, and GEDI Interns attended the ceremony.

The FBC Center Executive Director Dr. B.K. Robertson stated, “the Green Enterprise Development and Innovation (GEDI) Hub at the FBC Center will serve as a place where the wider community can get information and engage in activities that accelerate social inclusion through environmentally conscious economic activity.”

He expressed thanks and assured participants that the GEDI Hub will serve as a place where cutting-edge ideas and innovative practices related to forestry, biodiversity, and conservation will meet people at the grassroots and link them with people involved in higher education.

Activities for the GEDI Hub include twenty (20) GEDI Internships, five (5) registered Liberian green enterprises, as well as government agencies and NGOs who have already been selected to host and mentor FBC students for a six- month internship program. Dr. Robertson announced that, within the Hub, plans including the creation of two innovation desks: the Ecotourism Development and Alternative Livelihoods Desk, established for advanced FBC students or recent FBC graduates to apply their knowledge to assist interior communities with developing ecotourism enterprises and other innovative alternative livelihood activities; and the Marketing Innovation Desk, created for advanced FBC students or recent FBC graduates with a creative bent to applying their knowledge and talent for the development of FBC-conscious marketing materials and initiatives to significantly increase FBC awareness and concern among the Liberian general public in both urban and rural populations.

USAID awarded the University of Georgia $5 Million United States Dollars for implementing a program entitled Higher Education for Conservation (HECA) to help support the development efforts of the Government of Liberia

to strengthen workforce development and education in forest, biodiversity and conservation education. HECA aims to improve the conservation of Liberia’s forests and biodiversity through education, training, and technical assistance in collaboration with Alabama A&M University (AAMU), Tuskegee University (TU), the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) at Wellesley College, the University Consortium for Liberia (UCL) in Atlanta, Georgia, the University of Liberia (UL), and the Forestry Training Institute (FTI) amongst others in Liberia. The team established the FBC Center at the UL Fendall Campus in 2023.

Green Entrepreneur partnerships were established with the following entities for placement of interns to include Green Gold Liberia; Liberia Coconut Farmer and Buyers Union, Government agencies: Ministry of Commerce and Industry, FDA, EPA; NGOs: Wildlife Chimpanzee Foundation; many of whom attended the GEDI Ceremony. Other key stakeholders in attendance included Dr. Layli Maparyan, Executive Director, Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW), and Hon. Cynthia L. Blandford, President of the University Consortium for Liberia (UCL), University of Liberia (UL) and Forestry Training Institute (FTI) faculty.

The FBC center will oversee the development of a national forestry, biodiversity, and conservation curriculum that aligns with global standards for sustainable forest management. In addition, it will develop and deliver a multidimensional soft-skills co- curriculum to promote professional development of forest sector employees, including in areas like organizational leadership and team management. As a vital part of the program’s mission, the team will design a social inclusion strategy to empower women and young people in the Liberian forestry sector. This strategy will also benefit people with disabilities, crisis- and conflict-affected individuals, first-generation post-secondary students, people from minority religious communities, and rural, forest-dwelling, and forest-dependent people. For further information please call +231.77.777.1961 or on WhatsApp at

+513.238.8599.

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