SRE PRESIDENT SPEAKS AT LIBERIA WORKSHOP

SRE President Perla Manapol was one of the speakers at the "Renewable Energy for Rural Development in Liberia" workshop held in Monrovia October 29-30, 2007. The workshop was sponsored by USAID, the Liberian Ministry of Land, Mines, and Energy and International Resources Group.

Perla's topic was on the coconut as a source of energy and livelihood, based on SRE's Aklan project. Liberia has more than 200,000 acres planted to coconuts but with very minimal value-adding.

Perla reports: "I could tell that there is a strong need for Liberia to develop its coconut industry, judging from the numerous requests for meetings and discussions following my presentation." Indeed, a Liberian private corporation has already initiated the creation of a new company that will put up the country's first-ever coconut mini-oilmill, patterned after the "Aklan Model." The National Charcoal Union of Liberia (NACUL) has also expressed interest in the production of charcoal from coconut shells as a means to ease the denudation of Liberia's forests.

SRE has formed a partnership with some Liberian NGOs to submit a proposal to international development organizations to help fund a comprehensive assessment of the local coconut industry and to organize small coconut farmers into a cooperative.

One other, noteworthy result of the workshop? Perla reports that she is now known in Liberia as "The Coconut Lady" !