Conservation International (CI) Liberia, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has launched a US$316,300 Natural Capital Accounting Small Grant Program aimed at strengthening local expertise and integrating environmental data into Liberia's national development planning.
The program, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), was unveiled Tuesday at a ceremony in central Monrovia attended by senior government officials, development partners, civil society representatives and members of the media. Three local nongovernmental organizations -- VADEMCO, BASA Development Initiatives, and The Nature Compact (TNC) -- are the initial beneficiaries.
CI-Liberia Country Director Momodu Kemokai said the initiative is designed to help Liberia recognize its forests, biodiversity and ecosystems as economic assets rather than overlooked externalities in public decision-making.
"Liberia is blessed with extraordinary natural wealth, extensive tropical forests, unique biodiversity, freshwater ecosystems, and coastal and marine resources that sustain thousands of households," Kemokai said. "Yet these assets have historically been invisible in national accounting systems, unmeasured, undervalued and often overexploited."
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He warned that development planning that ignores the value of nature risks becoming "short-sighted, costly and unsustainable."
Kemokai said Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) provides a science-based framework that allows policymakers to factor environmental assets into decisions affecting forestry, mining, fisheries, agriculture, energy and infrastructure. For Liberia, he added, NCA must move beyond theory and become a practical tool for resilience and long-term growth.
"It should help us answer fundamental questions about the value of our forests, rivers and biodiversity, how these assets are changing, and what must be done to safeguard them for future generations," he said.
According to Kemokai, the Small Grant Program is structured to build Liberian-led research and implementation capacity, supporting hands-on environmental data collection, analysis and policy engagement. The initiative also seeks to promote transparency and accountability through civil society involvement and to encourage young researchers to develop innovative approaches to measuring ecosystem services.
He said expanding local expertise will improve data quality while empowering Liberians to drive conservation and sustainable development efforts themselves.
Kemokai reaffirmed CI-Liberia's broader commitment to supporting the country's environmental agenda, citing ongoing collaboration with the EPA, Forestry Development Authority, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Ministry of Mines and Energy, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority and other institutions.
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Launching the program on behalf of EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, Deputy Executive Director for Administration and Finance Anthony S. Kollie praised CI-Liberia's long-standing support to Liberia's conservation sector.
"Your continued commitment to strengthening local institutions in environmental management is commendable," Kollie said, adding that the EPA remains fully committed to the partnership.
Beneficiary organizations welcomed the grants, describing them as timely support for community-level climate and environmental action. Clarence Powell, project manager of the Sinoe Building Climate Resilience initiative at BASA Development Initiatives, thanked CI-Liberia and the EPA for the assistance.
"The work we do is in the interest of the country, and this support will help us address key environmental challenges," Powell said.
Marvelous Queejay-Weah, speaking for The Nature Compact, pledged that the funds would be used strictly for their intended purposes and to deliver measurable impact.
With the rollout of the Natural Capital Accounting Small Grant Program, stakeholders say Liberia is taking another step toward aligning economic development with environmental stewardship, ensuring that nature's value is reflected where it matters most -- in national planning and policy decisions.
