Monrovia – In a concerted effort to boost agricultural productivity in Liberia, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Liberia have launched a stakeholders’ consultation workshop aimed at designing a new country strategic opportunities programme (COSOP) for the country.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh [email protected]
This initiative seeks to align IFAD’s future support with Liberia’s national priorities and enhance sustainable rural development.
The new COSOP, a multi-year framework guiding IFAD’s engagement in Liberia, aims to contribute to inclusive and sustainable rural transformation. The current COSOP, covering the period 2020-2025, was developed in collaboration with the Liberian government and approved by IFAD’s Executive Board in December 2019.
Its overarching goal is to increase income and employment opportunities for rural men and women, build resilience to climate change, and combat food insecurity.
Pascaline Barankeba, IFAD’s Country Representative for Liberia, emphasized the program’s focus on consolidating achievements, integrating lessons learned, and aligning with the government’s evolving policies, particularly the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) for 2025-2029.
“For many years, IFAD has been a committed partner in Liberia’s development journey,” Barankeba said. “The new COSOP for the next five years will help us shape the vision for agricultural transformation, economic empowerment, and food security for Liberia’s rural communities in alignment with national priorities.”
The new framework will focus on enhancing rural livelihoods, strengthening agricultural value chains, and addressing climate change through sustainable agricultural practices.
Barankeba called on stakeholders to reflect on the results of the current COSOP and assess how future interventions can be made more impactful, inclusive, and sustainable.
The two-day workshop, attended by key stakeholders, aims to review past performance and establish clear strategic objectives for the 2026-2030 COSOP.
These objectives will focus on improving rural development, including financial services, promoting climate-smart innovations, and strengthening partnerships between government institutions, the private sector, farmers’ organizations, and development partners. “This workshop is an opportunity to ensure that the new COSOP is not just a document, but a roadmap for action,” Barankeba said.
During the official opening, David K. Akoi, Deputy Minister for Planning and Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, underscored the significance of the workshop, stating,
“Our people in the counties are going through a lot. IFAD is setting up a roadmap on how we can enhance agriculture. The National Agriculture Plan is the government’s vision for the next five years, and we are committed to taking ownership of this document for the benefit of the entire country.”
Dehpue Y. Zuo, Deputy Minister for Economic Management at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, highlighted the government’s keen interest in agriculture, emphasizing the need for strategic planning in the sector.
“The President’s vision is clear—we must be strategic with the funds that come in, especially as IFAD remains the highest donor in the agricultural sector,” Zuo said. He also pointed to existing gaps in the sector, stressing the importance of closing those gaps to ensure better outcomes for Liberian farmers.
The current COSOP (2020-2025) has been implemented through four key projects, including, the Rural Community Finance Project (RCFP): Aimed at improving financial access for the rural poor, with a total project cost of US$10.79 million, IFAD contributed US$6 million. The project concluded in June 2023, Tree Crops Extension Project (TCEP): Focused on smallholder inclusion in the cocoa value chain in Nimba County, with a total funding of US$32.5 million, of which IFAD contributed approximately US$26.5 million.
Also, the Tree Crops Extension Project II (TCEP II): Expanding on the successes of TCEP, this project supports smallholder inclusion in the cocoa value chain in Lofa County, with a funding total of US$47.6 million. This project has been extended to Nimba and Bong counties until December 2027, and the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P): Co-financed with the World Bank, this project supports the integration of smallholder farmers into rice, horticulture, and oil palm value chains, with a total funding of US$107.2 million, including US$51.7 million from IFAD.
These initiatives form the foundation of the ongoing collaboration between IFAD and the Liberian government, and they set the stage for the next phase of agricultural development in the country.
The successful implementation of the new COSOP will require a coordinated effort from all stakeholders, including government leaders, the private sector, and development partners, to ensure long-lasting impacts on Liberia’s agricultural sector. The stakeholders’ consultation workshop represents an important step in achieving these objectives.