Climate & Environmental Sustainability
We empower communities to protect nature that everyone depends on for livelihoods, fresh water and clean air.
Despite important ecosystem services that nature provide, Liberia and the Mano River Basin region of West Africa suffers some of Africa’s serious environmental problems. These include deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, desertification, wetland degradation, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, etc. Moreover, wealth from the subregion’s abundant natural resources is too often diverted away from the populations in need into the hands of too few powerful and corrupt individuals. This is fueling human rights abuses, environmental damage, inequality, bitterness, mistrust, alienation, corruption, conflicts and instability.
Improving Access to Information and Building Capacity of Civil Society as Cornerstones for Sustainable Development
VOSIEDA works with partners and local communities to research and carries out field projects and multi-stakeholder dialogues aim to protect vulnerable natural resources and places such as our forest, biodiversity, and critical ecosystems.
Second, we are undertaking a series of education and advocacy programs that aim to inspire, inform, and enable local stakeholders to protect nature for future generations.
Third, we are increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement and citizens’ demands for accountability in natural resources management.
Our Priority Areas
Forest and Sustainable Land Governance
Forests are globally important in regulating climate and locally significant in sustaining communities and supporting biodiversity. In Liberia and the Mano River Basin region, deforestation and forest degradation harms biodiversity and contribute to climate change and poverty. VOSIEDA is working to build sustainable landscapes, protect primary forests, protect biodiversity and advance the rights of forest communities in Liberia and the Mano River Basin region.
Climate Change
Climate change is one of the most crucial and threatening issues of our time, with far-reaching impacts on local communities in Liberia and the Mano River Basin region. VOSIEDA addresses climate impact strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in local communities. We improve education, awareness, and institutional abilities to deal with climate change impacts, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning in local communities.
Nature-based Solutions
Nearly 90 percent of Liberia’s five million people depend on open wood fires and charcoal for cooking and other necessary commercials and institutional uses. Besides, 85% of the population is also engaged in traditional agriculture, using slag-and-burn farming methods. As a result, the level of deforestation for the expansion of cropland, firewood, charcoal, and unsustainable extraction of timber and other forest products are causing extensive deforestation and soil erosion. At current rate, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are continuing, or even accelerating in Liberia.
In response, VOSIEDA is using Nature-based Solutions to address significant social and environmental challenges, including climate change, deforestation, poverty, food insecurity, local economic development, restoration, and biodiversity loss. We work to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively. We strive to support human well-being and provide biodiversity benefits simultaneously.
For example, we are using a natural-based solution to restore degraded forest corridors in Liberia. Besides, we are promoting agroforestry practices on community land and strengthening forest monitoring and law enforcement. We also empower communities build three nurseries, including fruit and timber trees. We believe in the power of integrated ecosystem management, which aims to sustain ecosystems to meet both ecological and human needs.