Liberia Forest Media Watch Trains Several Rural Journalists in Forest and Natural Resource Reporting - FrontPageAfrica

A network of rural journalists committed to reporting on Liberia’s forests and natural resources has ended a four- day capacity building workshop  through a specialized training program aimed at improving evidence-based reporting in forest-dependent communities.

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

The training, organized by the Liberia Forest Media Watch (LFMW) with support from the European Union and development partners, brought together reporters from several counties across Liberia to sharpen their skills in natural resource and environmental journalism.

Speaking during the workshop, the Team Lead of the LFMW,  Paul Kanneh, said the initiative is part of the organization’s effort of shifting media attention toward under-reported rural and environmental issues.

“News reporting has mainly been focused on urban Liberia and largely centered around politics. We said no, we want to venture into natural resource reporting, and this has been working out for us,” Mr. Kanneh told Front Page Africa(FPA).

Established in 2019 and legally recognized in 2021, the LFMW is a coalition of independent journalists operating mainly in rural Liberia.

The network focuses on forest governance, illegal logging, mining activities, land rights and the impact of concession agreements on local communities.

Mr. Kanneh explained that the current workshop serves as a refresher training intended to equip journalists with the skills needed to produce accurate and evidence-based stories relevant to forest-dependent communities.

“We have committed journalists with passion, but many lack specialized skills and knowledge in natural resource reporting. This training is about helping them become more accurate and evidence-based in their reporting.”

According to him, the network currently has about 27 members, including at least 10 active rural reporters. Some former members have since transitioned to national media institutions after gaining experience through the organization.

Mr. Kanneh also highlighted some of the group’s major achievements over the years, including investigative reporting published in the FPA that resulted to the revocation of an illegal forest land sale in Grand Gedeh County.

“We elevated the issue both nationally and internationally. Government has also revoked licenses of logging and mining companies following reports connected to our work, and you particularly, did that work.”

Despite financial constraints, Mr. Kanneh praised members of the network for their dedication and willingness to participate in the training.

“They are team players. What we provide is very little, but they come because the training is important.”

Mr. Kanneh urged journalists to remain committed to reporting issues directly affecting their communities, particularly illegal logging, land inequity  and non-compliance by concession companies.

“You are victims of bad logging contracts and illegal mining. You are reporting your own stories,” Mr. Kanneh added.

Also speaking with this paper, lead facilitator, veteran Liberian journalist and media development expert Titus W. Tokpah Sr. remarked that the training seeks to build a new generation of specialized rural journalists capable of reporting on complex issues surrounding forest management, conservation, climate change and concession agreements.

Mr. Tokpa, who is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Media-Aid Foundation – the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism ( PQSJ), emphasized the importance of solutions journalism, which focuses not only on highlighting problems but also on identifying possible solutions.

“There are a lot of things happening with our resources, so the public needs to know what benefits communities are supposed to receive from concession agreements. Some journalists themselves don’t even know these things,” Mr. Tokpa asserted.

“When we continue reporting only problem stories without looking at how society can solve them, journalism cannot fully thrive,” Mr. Tokpah explained.

He also noted that many rural journalists face challenges related to limited access to training opportunities and evolving digital reporting skills, including social media navigation and data-driven storytelling.

Mr. Tokpah recommended that the Liberia Forest Media Watch establish a mentorship system after each training, pairing facilitators with rural reporters for continued guidance and professional support.

“If we don’t do follow-up mentorship, people may forget along the way,” he warned.

He further called on concession companies and institutions operating in Liberia’s natural resource sector to improve community engagement and transparency.

“The noise we hear from communities often comes because people don’t understand what they are benefiting from. There’s a need for these companies to communicate better and work with specialized journalists who understand forest reporting,” he added.