𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭: 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲

Monrovia, Liberia – With a dream rooted in sustainability and rural empowerment, George Karnwie is steadily emerging as one of Liberia’s most promising young agripreneurs through his venture, ForestDew Enterprise, Incorporated, a startup focused on sustainable honey production and food security.
Holding a Master’s degree in Land Resources Management from Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, China, Karnwie blends technical expertise with hands-on work in rural communities. For years, he has been building the capacity of farmers in forest-based areas, training them in beehive farming techniques that promote forest conservation while generating income.
ForestDew Enterprise was born from a modest US$500 startup grant from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Karnwie used the initial funding to source honey from local beekeepers he helped train and bring it to Monrovia for sale. The venture has since grown into a formally registered business, with products now moving steadily through the local market.
“We’re helping farmers benefit from the forest without destroying it,” Karnwie said. “It’s about sustainability and shared value.”
Despite not having a formal shop or sales point, Karnwie fulfills customer orders through direct delivery. The business is currently run from his home, where packaging and storage are handled using personal space and equipment. Even so, sales are gaining traction, especially his 1.5-liter bottle, which sells for US$20 and is currently the best-selling size.
Karnwie’s vision is to transition from improvised bottling to a fully branded and professional setup. His dream is to launch a dedicated bottling and labeling system capable of producing signature ForestDew honey containers ranging from 200ml to 750ml.
“I’m looking to raise around US$30,000 to invest in machinery, packaging, and labeling,” he explained. “That would allow us to scale production and standardize our brand.”
Now at 40 years old, Karnwie stands as a powerful example of how education, experience, and community engagement can converge to build transformative businesses. Though educated abroad, he chose not to chase opportunities overseas — instead, he returned home with a singular mission: to develop Liberia’s untapped honey industry.
With just US$500, he is now shaping a sector that remains largely unexplored in Liberia — one that holds economic, environmental, and export potential. His story is a living testament to the role micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can play in reshaping the national economy.
If provided with the right kind of support — access to finance, capacity development, and favorable policy — MSMEs like ForestDew could fuel job creation, drive innovation, and stimulate inclusive growth across the country.