The African Development Fund’s Board of Directors has approved an additional $10 million in funding from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) to implement activities and scale up the impact of the Smallholder Agriculture Development Project for Food and Nutrition Security in Liberia.
The project aims to improve food and nutrition security and reduce poverty among targeted rural populations in Liberia by increasing agricultural production and productivity of smallholder farmers (with an emphasis on food crops such as rice, cassava and vegetables), improving value addition, market access and incomes for smallholder farmers, and strengthening the capacity of government institutions, farmers and producer organizations.
Liberia is experiencing rising prices for imported agricultural inputs. Higher energy costs and the ongoing impacts of multiple shocks have also destabilized the fertilizer sector. High fertilizer prices have led to higher food prices, and food import-dependent countries such as Liberia must maximize efforts to increase domestic food production to avoid impacts on food and nutrition security.
The first funding for the project was approved in June 2021. Initial project outcomes are to increase rice and cassava productivity to 3.5 Mt/ha and 25 Mt/ha, respectively.
The additional funding will support the local school feeding program, which will reach approximately 18,260 households, in addition to the existing 11,740 households and 15,000 students.
The project will also strengthen sustainable crop production and intensification by producing breeding, foundation and certified seeds for farmers cultivating 7,000 hectares of land, and will establish six post-harvest facilities for primary processing of cassava and rice with the support of four accumulation centers located near the processing center, adding value and linking farmers and processors to markets.
Other expected outcomes from the project include strengthening participatory farmer advisory services, supporting national food safety and security, and strengthening the Ministry of Agriculture’s capacity in investment planning and implementation.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $19.08 million, of which $18.2 million will come from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), $429,027 from the African Development Fund, and $453,000 from the Government of Liberia.
The proposed projects are based on the government’s priorities of improving food security and strengthening livelihoods, agricultural transformation and economic prosperity for all.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
contact:
Desiree Batava
Communications and Public Relations Department
Email: media@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development financial institution. It comprises three independent institutions: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigerian Trust Fund (NTF). With a presence in 41 African countries and an external office in Japan, the African Development Bank contributes to the economic development and social progress of its 54 regional member countries. For more information, visit www.AfDB.org.
About GAFSP:
The Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) was established in response to the 2008/09 world food price crisis, following a commitment by the G8 in Pittsburgh in September 2009 to raise up to US$20 billion for agricultural development and food security. The GAFSP Financial Intermediation Fund (Grants) aims to address the financing gap in national and regional agriculture and food security strategic investment plans already developed by countries, and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating poverty and hunger by 2030.
Currently, the Bank has six ongoing projects totaling $74.52 million in various stages of implementation (Central African Republic, Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Tanzania and Senegal). Eight projects are currently in preparation, including additional financing (Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Liberia, Senegal and Tanzania (2 projects) totaling $94.35 million). Projects in Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania and Guinea-Bissau were recently approved and are expected to commence operations shortly.
