Seeing beyond “Mamadee, Sundaygar, Yekeh and Saye”: Reflections on Liberia’s Natural Resource Future, Political Ecology and the Complexity of Development
Today, something uncomfortable happened. After nearly two decades working in natural resource management, there is still so much I don't know, and, frankly, I think this realization is a good thing.
For me, a complex reader and someone who annoyingly probes, deep thinks, trail-blazes and leads on all things natural resource management, protection and conservation, I found out what I dread the most - I don’t seem to know much anymore. All the topics are getting more complex, especially with the emergence of the concept of “Political Ecology”. For once, my poor mind got tired, and I just zoomed off.
We have a LOT TO DO….
The last topics I remembered we covered in a just-ended meeting- where we delved deep into complex issues just became overbearing. My colleague, who noticed my silence (unusual for my normal probing and talkative self), nudged me and asked, “bro, you good?” I swore I was, but deep down I was tired.
In many south-south engagements, Liberian professionals are respected for the reforms and experiences we have accumulated – most times, when we talk about this journey, we leave the room full of colleagues in awe. We are so knowledgeable. This shows that we have come a long way in reform. But this is not a surprise. We have always led the way in most things (political, social, governance, reforms) on the African Continent.
The sad truth is, despite what we are known for, we still have lapses. We do not write about our successes; we are mostly silent. We do not read deeply about groundbreaking work, test concepts, or respect intellectuals, but most of all, we do not admit that we “don’t know certain things”. This is an admission trait the Liberian man lacks.
For example, often, we mistake familiarity with knowledge, and this is a problem for us. We think that because we know a few names, heard a few stories, or understand the surface of an issue can give us the confidence to debate experts on matters we have never seriously studied. This is when you often hear the phrase, for example, “I am not a lawyer o, but the law says”. You will often see someone with zero expertise on Natural Resource Management, Energy, Law, Health, Logistics, Agriculture, Architecture, Mechanics, Security, - argue vehemently on subjects they have a “Mamadee, Sundaygar, Yekeh or Saye” understanding of instead of just listening and learning. This is common in Liberia.
So today, I had to just stop and think - although I have spent nearly two decades working in this field, the complexity of the problems has humbled me. For example, to the simple-minded “Mamadee, Sundaygar, Yekeh or Saye” the below questions are easy to answer. But if you unpacked them, you know nothing really.
As I sat, the questions on these topics either blanked my mind, or I needed a reset:
* Natural Capital & Sustainable Financing - How can Liberia monetise natural wealth without liquidating it? I still do not think we have found the answers. Recent debates in the National Consultation on the Proposed Kwa National Park proved that although we have made significant progress - from participation, science, to benefit-sharing regimes, grievance redress mechanisms, - we still have a lot to do.
* Integrated Landscape Governance - How can Liberia’s forests, agriculture, mining and communities be managed within one spatial system? This is still a problem. At 179 years old, we still do not have an integrated land system (ILUS) designed to guide our developmental processes. This remains a massive challenge - one I still do not think most of my colleagues and I are equipped to deal with, - we still have a lot to do.
* Mining–Forest Trade-offs - How should Liberia balance mineral development with irreplaceable ecosystems? This is something I feel the Legislative committees on Natural Resource, Environment, Mining, Investments, as well as the FDA, EPA, MLE, Local Government, National Investment Commission, and Bureau of Concession have poorly collaborated, coordinated or built their capacities to respond to the challenges. I know politics seems to be everything, but our inability to harness these issues to the “will” to drive systemic change and create a balance is concerning. Mining operations (AML, China Union, and those with various mining licenses) across the country continue to expose gaps in environmental oversight, cumulative-impact assessment, rehabilitation, community benefit-sharing and inter-agency coordination - yes, we still have a lot to do.
* Natural Capital Accounting - How can forests and ecosystems become part of national economic accounting? Recent work by Conservation International, the University of Liberia and the EPA has opened the space for research, planning and interventions, resource mobilisation - but as we probe, you will see that our institutions are still lacking in the capacity and resources to respond to the needed changes or propose the best viable solutions to give a comprehensive picture of what our Natural Capital Account is. - We still have a lot to do.
* Community Forestry & Local Economies - Can Liberian communities generate sustainable wealth from forests? This is one of the biggest questions. Between 2006 and 2018, several legal instruments on forestry, community ownership and land rights have been enacted, and they are good initiatives - legal precepts that should be guiding us, the communities, to transition out of poverty. But the truth is, forest concessions are doing badly; the business climate for logging companies to thrive is poor; banks and lending facilities have hamstrung the economy. Communities are still being duped; advocacy groups are still playing to the beat of international organisations; conservation park gazettement is challenged with Rights-Based Approaches (RBA), Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPICs), Feedback Grievance and Redress Mechanisms (FGRMS) and Benefit Sharing Mechanisms. Often, they are not tested fully or allowed to be implemented adequately before funds run out - leaving communities with empty baskets, fatigue with the system and suspicion of any new intervention. - we still have a lot to do
* Biodiversity–Climate–Development Nexus - How can Liberia achieve conservation and economic development simultaneously? We have not answered this fundamental question. Despite being advanced in our legal processes, we are still lagging. How can logging, mining, airlines, maritime, industrial and agricultural companies operate in Liberia without paying into a biodiversity fund, or a national biodiversity conservation trust fund, or do we sufficiently receive funding from climate contributions through our NDC - which we have revised many times now? Other countries are receiving huge funds from climate negotiations, commitments and trade. This might be because of their respective institutional readiness, project pipelines, fiduciary systems, MRV safeguards, market instruments and international negotiations. These might be challenges for us, but despite everything, Liberia has made huge leaps forward. The creation of the Carbon Markets Authority (CMA) is one of the biggest examples. Although we are still challenged with institutional coordination issues, the architecture of climate finance and business - or even a comprehensive Measuring, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV system) which will dictate how we transition Liberia to the future, leveraging our forest resources across all sectors that sequester carbon for development. The CMA is a massive progress. However, if we cannot make other sectors see that our resources are viable and strategic to national development - through science, data, capacity, and practical implementation to inform decision-making- I am sorry, but we still have a lot to do
* Political Economy of Natural Resources - Why do natural-resource policies in Liberia succeed or fail? This is a big question. Politics always shapes how natural resources are used. I am unsure if we have succeeded with forest and other sector reforms - our laws, despite being good, are still ambitious and ambiguous in most aspects - there are just too many loopholes, even the regulations are weak, to plug. Even the institutions responsible for these are challenged with leadership, visionary planning, resources and capacity to implement - that hustling with “political interests” has been our “Achilles heel”. - we still have a lot to do.
* Digital Forest Governance - Can technology transform forest monitoring, transparency and enforcement? I recently saw a live image of the level of destruction of the Sapo National Park and other heavily forested areas - gold rush, cocoa development and other commodities have contributed to huge loss of forest - illegal wildlife trade, encroachment, and many crimes are committed, and our legal systems are still challenged to prosecute. The advent of AI can be a blessing - we must use the tools to transform forest and resource monitoring, transparency and law enforcement. - we still have a lot of work to do.
Maybe the most important thing I learned today is that “not knowing” is not failure; instead, the opposite, “pretending to know”, is. I do not think Liberia need more people who have answers to everything. I strongly believe we need more people who are willing to ask better questions, people who will admit what they don't know, learn from others, test ideas, build evidence and work across disciplines.
Liberia has made remarkable progress. But the challenges ahead are still bigger than any one institution, profession or individual. We have achieved a lot already. I believe that we can still do more. The good thing is that there is still political will if we engage strategically.
