“Our Cassava Is Wasting”: Bomi Farmers Cry Out for Processing Machine to Save 400-Acres Harvest

By: Ernest Kpehe Moibah | Bomi County Correspondent

Guie Town, Bomi County-Friday, October 24, 2025-On the outskirts of Guie Town, the sun beats down on a vast stretch of farmland where rows of cassava lie ready for harvest. Yet, instead of celebration, there is frustration and fear. A group of hardworking farmers stands helplessly over their 400-acres cassava field, uncertain how to bring months of sweat and labor to fruition.

Their problem isn’t the soil – it’s the absence of machines.

“The cassava is ready, but we can’t process it. We’re losing time and money every day,” said George Yoryor, the group’s leader, his voice carrying both pride and desperation.

Yoryor explained that without cassava processing machines and financial support, the farmers cannot turn their produce into gari, fufu, or other sellable products; the very source of their livelihood. The crop, once full of promise, now risks rotting in the ground.

A Cry for Help from the Fields

The farmers are appealing to Bomi County authorities, the Ministry of Agriculture, and agricultural institutions for urgent assistance. They say a single processing machine, coupled with basic technical support, could transform their fortunes and prevent massive post-harvest losses.

“We have done our part; we planted, we cultivated, and now we are ready to harvest,” Yoryor said. “But without the machines, our hard work is going to waste. We need help – and we need it now.”

A Plea Echoed by Local Leaders

Joining the farmers’ appeal, Rev. Bashelu Gray, a respected community leader, invited stakeholders and the public to visit the site and witness their struggle firsthand.

“This is not just about one farm; it’s about the future of agriculture in Bomi,” Rev. Gray said. “If these farmers had the right tools, they could feed more families, create jobs, and strengthen our local economy.”

Rev. Gray called on the Bomi Legislative Caucus, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations to step in with cassava processing machines, technical training, and other essential resources.

A Reflection of Liberia’s Larger Agricultural Challenges

The farmers’ situation in Guie Town mirrors a broader reality across Liberia, where smallholder farmers often struggle with limited access to tools, funding, and markets. Experts say that without consistent investment in agro-processing and rural infrastructure, the nation’s dream of food security will remain elusive.

Yet, for the farmers of Guie Town, the issue is not policy – it’s survival.

Standing amid their ripening cassava, Yoryor and his group can only hope that their cries will be heard before the harvest window closes.

“We don’t want handouts,” he said softly. “We just want the tools to make our work count.”

As the wind rustles through the cassava leaves, the message from Guie Town is clear: give farmers the means to process what they grow, and they will feed the nation.