Liberia Land Wahala

LIBERIA'S COASTAL WETLANDS FORM A CRITICAL ECOSYSTEM BUT OUR FAST GROWING COASTAL POPULATION IS THREATENING THEM.  IN THIS PROGRAM WE LEARN MORE ABOUT WETLANDS AND VISIT COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE ON THEM. WE LOOK AT THE KAILONDO GAS STATION AND ASK WHAT IS HOLDING UP AN EPA ORDER TO SHUT IT DOWN. BUT FIRST, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES TO WETLANDS IS THE MOUTAINS OF GARBAGE AND SEWAGE FLOODING MONROVIA. IN SLUM COMMUNITIES PEOPLE ARE BATTLING INSECTS, RATS AND DISEASE. THE ISSUE PROMPTED A ROW BETWEEN MONROVIA MAYOR JEFFERSON KOIJEE AND US AMBASSADOR MICHAEL MCCARTHY THIS MONTH. 

Jefferson Nyandibo leads the Liberian government's engagement with United Nations organizations helping developing nations adapt to the changing climate. Here Anthony Stephens' full interview with Mr. Nyandibo here. 

Climate change is ravaging our region but Liberia has one major asset.  One of the world's largest tracts of forest is right here –trees play a major role in helping halt climate change. But the forest also plays a key role –providing for our fast growing population. Can Liberians find other ways to provide for themselves? And what next for president Weah's African carbon credit scheme?  "What nature has placed in this country makes us one of the most nature-based valuable nations in the world.” Jefferson Nyandibo, the Liberian focal point for the UN Framework on Climate Change. 

In this bonus episode we bring you anthony's  full interview with Liberia Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Program, Stephen Rodrigues. The UNDP is the key international partner for Liberia's Climate Change Adaptation program and we discussed how the UNDP and international partners are helping Liberia adapt to the changing climate.  

The sea is slowly taking over Liberia's land. Rising global temperatures are melting ice caps causing sea levels to rise. Thousands of people have already lost their homes and livelihoods.  "FOR THE PEOPLE IN LIBERIA CLIMATE CHANGE IS A CATASTROPHIC REALITY. IT IS LITERALLY EATING UP THE GROUND FROM BENEATH THEIR FEET.  PLUNGING THEM INTO AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE," says Stephen Rodrigues, UNDP Resident Representative, Liberia Experts predict more than two hundred and thirty thousand people are at risk and more than two thousand square kilometres will be lost to the sea by the end of the century. In West Point in Monrovia 800 homes have already been lost. Houses and major roads and infrastructure - even the country's premier hospitals – are threatened.We look at what the government and international community are doing to help Liberians adapt. And we ask what Liberians can do for themselves.   

Nearly 8 in every 10 Liberians survives solely on the food they grow. In the last three seasons unpredictable rain and higher temperatures have wrought havoc on their crops. In this episode farmers in Bong County tell our reporter Evelyn Kpadeh Seagbeh that they can no longer grow enough food to survive. Meanwhile Liberia's agriculture industry, which brings in 90% of the country's export earnings, is also facing a crisis. Climate change means rubber, palm oil and cocoa are more difficult for Liberian farmers to grow. What can farmers do to adapt? And what is the government and the international community doing to help? 

On the coast of West Africa, the country of Liberia is known for its fishing and strong surf — and now, for what locals call its “dirt.” We unlock the plastic pollution crisis that is drowning the land and sea and creating worrisome “wahala” for citizens. Those in the slums are in dire straits, especially during rainy season. Other African countries like Kenya and Rwanda have banned single-use plastic, but Liberians can find themselves adrift in a cesspool of it. A big part of the plastic problem is the water people drink. If nothing is done to solve this environmental crisis soon, recycling enterprise founder Abraham Freeman tells us, Liberia is on track to become one of the biggest ocean polluters of the Sub-Saharan region. Can entrepreneurs or government turn the tide?For more: New NarrativesContinuing coverage: FrontPage AfricaMusic by: Faith Vonic

In Liberia, land is life. But this land is whose land? In this episode, we explore Liberia's legacy of land ownership. Modern laws are supposed to give rights to customary land back to indigenous tribes and local communities. Instead, widespread confusion and conflicts are erupting all over the country. Our reporters document disputes and land grabs — even while encountering threats — and seek answers from authorities. Have laws for land rights gone wrong, or can they work? For more: New NarrativesContinuing coverage: FrontPage AfricaMusic by: Faith Vonic