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By Darlington Porkpa/[email protected]
The Ministry of Agriculture in Liberia, in collaboration with its strategic partners, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, commenced the validation process of crucial policy documents aimed at transforming the agricultural landscape of the country in Gbarnga, Bong County. The validation marks a significant milestone in Liberia’s journey towards sustainable agricultural development and food security.
The validation process involved comprehensive consultations with stakeholders, including farmers, agricultural experts, researchers, and policymakers. Their inputs and feedback are instrumental in shaping the final versions of the policy documents, ensuring they reflect the realities and aspirations of Liberia’s agricultural sector.
At the commencement of the validation seminar, Agriculture Minister Dr. Alexander Nuetah commended FAO, WFP, IFAD, WFP, World Bank, USAID, and the African Development Bank for their invaluable support to the formulation of the policy documents.
Key documents under review include the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) which runs from 2024 to 2029 and replaces the Liberia Agricultural Sector Investment Plan (LASIP-II). It emphasizes private sector engagement and adopts a value chain approach to stimulate significant growth within the agricultural sector. Liberia’s Preparedness Plan for Food Security and Nutrition Crisis is designed to mobilize timely resources and actions to prevent and mitigate emerging food and nutrition security crises.
Also forming part of the validation process is the Zero Post-Harvest Management Strategy. This strategy acknowledges post-harvest losses as a significant hindrance to food production and outlines an integrated approach to addressing them across priority commodity chains. Food Supply Chain Assessment takes a critical look at the supply chain dynamics within rice and cowpea supply chains and offers recommendations for enhancing supply chain efficiency and resilience.
Dr. Nuetah at the forum appealed to the national legislature to increase the budgetary allotment to the Ministry of Agriculture to fulfill the government’s part in making a specific contribution to the implementation of the proposed NADP to complement the efforts of donors in uplifting the agriculture sector. Representatives from FAO, IFAD, and WFP reaffirmed their unwavering commitments to supporting the Liberian Government in its endeavors to strengthen the agricultural sector through the NADP.
The field validation exercise in Bong County is a continuation of the successful two-day technical validation held in Monrovia on May 13 and 14, 2024, which allowed stakeholders to review and offer feedback on the policy documents and enhanced comprehension of the new five-year agricultural development plan, investment priorities, crisis management strategies and enhanced consensus-building towards Liberia’s agricultural transformation through thematic group discussions and stakeholder engagement.
Liberia, a country with immense agricultural potential, has long sought to harness its resources to improve livelihoods and ensure food security for its citizens. The validation of key policy documents by the Ministry of Agriculture and its partners underscores the government’s commitment to this crucial sector.
