SALAYEA, Lofa County - Back in the days, Titus Morlu hunted deer, raccoons and pythons. But in 2024 he put down his gun and trap and became a beekeeper.
Morlu no longer has to walk long distances at night alone to hunt animals, and he does not worry any more about catching any diseases from his prey. He keeps bees in Beyan Town, in Lofa's Salayea District, bordering Bong County, and expects his first harvest soon.
"For now, some of us have no interest in going to the forest to hunt or look for honey because we have [honey] right behind our vineyards," says Morlu.
Like Morlu, Wolobah Nuapolor hunted in Salayea forest for decades. When he learned of an opportunity to raise pigs, instead of hunting deer and squirrels, he jumped on it. He now has 12 pigs.
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The beekeeping and piggery projects are two of several projects being undertaken by locals of the Salayea Community Forest. The project provides alternative, sustainable livelihood opportunities, so that townspeople can reduce their dependency on the forest and protect it. It also includes a woodshop, cocoa farming, village saving loan scheme and guesthouse management.
Established in 2016, the Salayea Community Forest is an 8,270 hectare-conservation forest with rich biodiversity. The livelihood programs have impacted the forests at different levels. There is no more forest farming as many have turned to lowland farming, animal raising and local businesses. Organizers say the project is intended to cut deforestation and forest-induced emissions.
"We are doing beekeeping, cocoa farming, village saving and loan program and piggery in the six affected communities to fight against all forms of illegal activities in our forest," says Yassah Mulbah, Salayea forest's chief officer.
"The village saving loan has empowered the women within the six affected communities in Salayea. The women no longer credit from outsiders like in the past; their children are no longer being sent out of school for fees."
'A part of me'
In 2023 and 2024, Palladium Group, an UK-based NGO, conducted training for piggery managers and beekeepers in Salayea. Beneficiaries of the training from the six affected communities were given beehives and pairs of pigs to begin their projects.
The Salayea beekeeping program started late 2023 in all affected communities with dozens of beneficiaries trained and given beehives. A team of DayLight reporters, which visited Telemu and Beyan Towns, observed that the beehives were ready for harvest.
Beekeepers in Salayea have chosen next month to harvest their beehives, all of which have colonized. The beekeepers want authorities of the community forest to help find buyers for their honey. One beekeeper told reporters that a liter of natural honey is sold for L$1,200 (US$6.66) in the area.
"I have decided to have my own beehives about seven or eight to help send my children to school and to help my family," said John Tokpah, a former forest farmer-turned-beekeeper in Telemu Town, who has spent a year in the program. "This (beekeeping) will be a part of me. I will not let it go from me."
The piggery program is a little faster than the beekeeping. It has already begun providing income for beneficiaries.
The piggery program recruited more than a dozen persons including women in Beyan, Telemu and Salayea Towns. It started with 12 pairs of pigs which have now reproduced themselves to dozens while others have been sold. Currently, there are 18 pigs at three functional pig pans.
The Salayea pig farm has been successful in selling several pigs at least three times. Money received from those sales have been added to more than L$400,000 saving of the community from livelihood programs, according to Madam Mulbah.
Salayea Town has 12 pigs while Telemu and Beyan Towns each has three pigs at their respective pig pans. There is one pregnant pig in each of the three pig pans expecting piglets.
"We have been using some of the pigs for other programs here in Salayea," says Wolobah Nuapolor, Salayea Town piggery manager. "Even last week, we killed some and sold it and the money was put into the community forest's account."
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"When these pigs are plenty here, our men will not be hunting in the forest," said Nenei David, a women leader in Telemu Town. Madam David and others have three pigs in their pig pen. The pigs are being raised by the Telemu village saving loan women group.
Mulbah, Salayea's chief officer, wants the community to be independent of the forest in the next five years. The forest has not experienced illegal activities since 2024. That followed after Salayea Community Forest won several court cases against illegal farmers and miners, according to Mulbah. The alternative livelihood programs in the six affected communities had further stopped illegal activities in the forest.
"These livelihood programs will make Salayea Community Forest financially strong and put an end to illegal forest activities in the years ahead," Mulbah says.
The story was a production of the Community of Forest and Environmental Journalists of Liberia (CoFEJ).
