Pan-African News Blog

In a time when food security and sustainable living are gaining urgency across the globe, one grassroots initiative in Liberia is cultivating more than just crops—it’s nurturing confidence, self-reliance, and community resilience. Let’s Grow +231, a Liberian backyard gardening channel, is creating a “home away from home” for plant lovers who are passionate yet hesitant to get their hands in the soil.

From uncertain beginners to lifelong lovers of the land, Let’s Grow +231 speaks to a wide audience, encouraging anyone with a little space—and a lot of heart—to start growing their own organic food. The channel is more than a how-to guide. It’s a movement reminding Liberians, both at home and in the diaspora, that “the first step to feeding a nation can begin right outside your door.”

Why Backyard Gardening in Liberia Matters

Liberia’s tropical climate, rich soil, and long rainy season make it ideal for small-scale gardening. Urbanization and food imports have shifted many people away from traditional growing, but backyard gardening is making a comeback—empowered by channels like Let’s Grow +231.

Backyard gardens don’t just reduce grocery bills; they improve nutrition, create jobs, and even spark business ventures. Plus, with rising concerns over chemical-laced imports, growing organic food at home is becoming a form of health activism.

Best Crops for Liberian Backyard Gardens

Whether you’re growing in Monrovia, Buchanan, or the interior counties, some crops thrive particularly well in backyard conditions:

• Cassava: A hardy, drought-tolerant root crop with multiple culinary uses.
• Pepper (Scotch Bonnet/Chili): A Liberian favorite for flavor and spice, with good market demand.
• Okra: Fast-growing and nutritious; can be harvested continually through the season.
• Bitterball (Garden Egg): A Liberian staple that’s easy to grow and popular in local markets.
• Tomatoes: With proper care and watering, tomatoes can thrive and offer high resale value.
• Sweet Potato: Both tubers and leaves are edible, making it a double-value crop.
• Greens (Collard, Jute leaves/Palava sauce leaves): Fast-growing and essential in local cuisine.

For those with even smaller spaces, crops like herbs (mint, basil, lemongrass) and spring onions grow well in containers.

Compost: Turning Waste into Wealth

One of the most empowering lessons Let’s Grow +231 teaches is the value of composting. Kitchen scraps, dry leaves, grass clippings, and even paper waste can be transformed into rich organic fertilizer. Not only does compost improve soil health and crop yield, but it also reduces household waste—an important step for urban sustainability in Liberia.

The compost method taught by Let’s Grow +231 is simple and low-cost:

• Mix green waste (fruit peels, fresh grass) and brown waste (dry leaves, cardboard).
• Turn the pile regularly to let air in.
• Keep it moist but not soaked.
  In a few weeks, you’ll have “black gold” for your backyard crops.

From Garden to Market: A New Economy

Let’s Grow +231 also inspires viewers to think beyond self-sufficiency. With the right crops and a bit of planning, backyard gardening can evolve into a side hustle or full-time business. Local markets are hungry for fresh, organic, chemical-free produce. Some simple ways to begin include:

• Selling at roadside markets or via WhatsApp groups.
• Partnering with restaurants or caterers who want local, fresh ingredients.
• Creating value-added products like dried herbs, pepper sauce, or juice blends.

For Liberians in the diaspora, this presents an opportunity too—supporting local relatives to start backyard gardens, fund community compost centers, or invest in small-scale farming ventures tied to urban markets.

Growing the Movement

Let’s Grow +231 isn’t just teaching people how to garden—it’s building a community of conscious growers who believe in food freedom, health, and economic empowerment. By focusing on low-cost, culturally relevant, and practical methods, it’s helping Liberians reconnect with the soil and take the first step toward sustainable living.

As the world looks for answers to climate change and food insecurity, solutions may already be sprouting in Liberian backyards—thanks to the green vision of Let’s Grow +231.

Follow Let’s Grow +231 on YouTube and social media to learn more, get inspired, and join the growing movement. Ready to start your garden? The time is now. Your backyard is waiting.