By Amos Harris
A Liberian youth agricultural entrepreneur has returned from Qinghai Province in Xining City, China, with renewed determination to advance local agriculture, reduce poverty, empower young people, and drive rural transformation across Liberia.
James Kollie Galakpai, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Liberia Feed Yourself Agriculture Initiative Inc. (LIFAI-Inc.), joined the Liberian delegation participating in the 1st 2026 Training Program for African Grassroots Cadres on Poverty Alleviation. The program exposed African participants to China’s practical strategies in agricultural modernization, rural revitalization, poverty reduction, clean energy, infrastructure development, disaster management, and industrialization.
Describing the training as a life-changing experience, Galakpai noted that the program broadened his understanding of how agriculture, technology, human capital development, and rural infrastructure can combine to transform communities. He expressed appreciation to Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture, under the leadership of Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, for selecting and supporting his team. He also praised the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Monrovia, the Foreign Affairs Office of Qinghai Province, the people of Qinghai and Xining, and the local trainers for their exceptional hospitality and professionalism, noting that the warm reception demonstrated the growing bilateral cooperation between Liberia and China.
During the program, the delegation toured several key development sites, including the Tala Breach Photovoltaic Industrial Park and the Qinghai Provincial Clean Energy and Green Computing Power Dispatch Center. Galakpai observed how renewable energy and digital infrastructure foster industrialization, job creation, and environmental protection. Visits to Daijiazhuang Village and the Qianziyuan Agriculture Science and Technology Expo Park further showcased the successful integration of agricultural science, modern technology, organized production, and rural entrepreneurship.
Reflecting on lessons from Qinghai—which successfully removed 42 counties and 1,622 villages from poverty classifications while lifting roughly 539,000 people out of poverty by 2020—Galakpai emphasized that sustainable poverty reduction requires skills, infrastructure, and productive resources rather than simple aid. He noted that Liberia can study these proven approaches and adapt them to its own socio-economic realities.
Infrastructure resilience and disaster preparedness were additional key components of the training. Visits to the Xining Emergency Command Center and a post-disaster relocation community offered insights into emergency coordination, early-warning systems, and climate resilience, which Galakpai stressed Liberia must strengthen to protect communities vulnerable to natural disasters. Further visits to Qinghai Hoh Xil Food Co., Western Mining Co., Shengyuan Carpet Group Co., the Xining Urban Exhibition Center, and Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve highlighted the vital roles of value addition, urban planning, and environmental stewardship in linking local resources to global markets.
Returning as an empowered youth leader, Galakpai is calling for increased investment across Liberia’s agricultural value chain, including improved seeds, mechanization, irrigation, storage, processing, packaging, and market access. He advocates for stronger rural infrastructure, agro-processing parks, clean energy solutions, climate-resilient farming, and affordable financing for youth-led ventures.
Galakpai views his return as the start of a concrete mission to translate the knowledge gained in Qinghai into practical action through LIFAI-Inc. He urged young Liberians to become active drivers of economic transformation, expressing firm confidence in the nation’s agricultural potential when backed by clear vision, discipline, and sustained investment. He concluded that the delegation did not travel to China merely to observe development, but to learn how it is organized, returning home with the full responsibility to put those lessons into practice.
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