Barley a day after endorsing a US$8.4 Billion national development plan dubbed the Arrest Agenda for Inclusive Development or AAID, the Government of Liberia, along with the International Fund for Agriculture Development or IFAD, have signed a US$5.3 million grant agreement to strengthen the agriculture sector of the country.
The European Union grant agreement is for the Scaling-Up Agroecology Approaches in Liberia project, which is valued at Five Million Euros (approximately US$5.3 Million).
The EU funding will support Liberia's agricultural sector by promoting sustainable practices that increase the resilience of smallholder farmers.
According to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the project is part of the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P), a joint initiative that IFAD and the World Bank co-financed.
These resources will complement the US$28 million already allocated by IFAD for the project, which will run over four years starting in 2025.
The project's primary objectives are to improve food security, strengthen the livelihoods of rural communities, and build resilience to climate change by promoting agroecological practices.
It will also focus on increasing horticultural production through soil fertility enhancement, sustainable water management practices, irrigation technologies, and innovative co-creation models encouraging farmers' collaboration.
During the signing ceremony on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan represented the Government of Liberia, while IFAD Country Representative Pascaline Barankeba signed on behalf of the organization.
In his remarks, Minister Ngafuan underscored the importance of the partnership, stating that the grant agreement reflects the strong commitment of Liberia's international partners to support the government's development goals.
He said, "This signing is not just a piece of paper but a tangible demonstration of how our international partners are investing in Liberia's future. It reinforces our shared vision for a more inclusive and sustainable agricultural sector.
This project aligns directly with the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and our National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP), which aims to revolutionize Liberia's agricultural landscape."
Minister Ngafuan extends gratitude to the European Union for its generous contribution and hopes the grant will have a profound and positive impact on Liberian farmers, especially in terms of helping them adapt to the growing challenges posed by climate change.
He adds, "We are confident that this project will help Liberian farmers cope with the vulnerabilities of climate change, thereby improving food security and creating more opportunities for income generation."
He underscores the government's focus on increasing food production and pledges its unwavering support to farmers and their livelihoods, primarily through strengthening the agricultural value chain.
IFAD Country Representative Barankeba expresses pleasure in signing these financing instruments following the endorsement of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development and the launch of the National Agriculture Development Plan, as both projects align perfectly with it.
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She pledges IFAD's commitment to supporting Liberia through ongoing and future investment.
Madam Barenkeba reveals that IFAD will announce the country's allocation under IFAD 13 early next year, saying, "This will present an opportunity to increase the current investment or identify a new one, thereby taking our cooperation to new levels."
The signing ceremony was done in the presence of Agriculture Minister Dr. Alexander Nuetah, Deputy Finance Ministers Anthony G. Myers and Tanneh G. Brunson, Acting Deputy Minister for Administration Paul T. Lamin.
