Monrovia, Liberia – To create a new country strategic opportunities program (COSP) for Liberia, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and the Liberian government have jointly begun a two-day stakeholders’ engagement workshop. The multiyear framework for IFAD’s involvement in inclusive and sustainable rural development in the nation is the country strategic opportunities program.
The current COSOP (2020-2025) for Liberia was developed in collaboration with the government of Liberia and other stakeholders and approved by the IFAD executive board in December 2019 with the overall goal to increase income and employment opportunities for rural men and women while building resilience to climate change and food insecurity.
It revolves around two strategic objectives: Enhance the performance and inclusiveness of value chains that offer job opportunities, wealth creation, and food and nutrition security for rural people, including poor households, women and youth; and Contribute to an enabling environment for pro-poor policy development and enhance the capacity of the public sector in Liberia to deliver services to the rural poor.
The COSOP Mid term review concluded and recommended that COSOP 2020-2025 goals and objectives remained relevant to Liberia’s complex development challenges and implementation remained largely on track and appropriate for transitioning Liberia to a prosperous economic model through critical interventions in rehabilitation of rural/feeder roads to production sites and markets, boosting productivity of export crops to combat trade imbalances, build human capital, accelerate job creation and strengthen socio-economic resilience, among other objectives.
IFAD’s Country Representative for Liberia, Madam Pascaline Barankeba, highlighted the program’s emphasis on integrating lessons gained, consolidating accomplishments, and aligning with the government’s changing policies, especially the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) for 2025–2029.
Madam Pascaline noted that IFAD has been a dedicated collaborator in Liberia’s development process for a long time. “In line with national priorities, the new COSOP for the next five years will assist us in forming the vision for food security, economic empowerment, and agricultural transformation for Liberia’s rural communities.”
In order to make future interventions more effective, inclusive, and sustainable, the Country Representative of IFAD for Liberia has urged stakeholders to consider the outcomes of the current COSOP.
Key stakeholders are attending the two-day session, which seeks to analyze previous performance and set specific strategic goals for the COSOP in 2026–2030.
These goals will center on enhancing financial services and other aspects of rural development, encouraging climate-smart technologies, and strengthening ties between government agencies, the commercial sector, farmers’ associations, and development partners. According to Madam Barankeba, “this workshop is an opportunity to ensure that the new COSOP is not just a document but a roadmap for action.”
The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning’s Deputy Minister for Economic Management, Dehpue Y. Zuo, emphasized the importance of strategic planning in the agriculture industry and the government’s strong interest in the field.
According to Deputy Minister Zuo, the President’s objective is clear: “we need to use the money wisely, particularly because IFAD continues to be the largest donor to the agriculture sector. In order to guarantee better results for Liberian farmers,” he also emphasized the significance of filling the gaps that currently exist in the industry.
David K. Akoi, Deputy Minister for Planning and Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, emphasized the importance of the workshop during the formal opening saying “Liberians are suffering greatly.”
“IFAD is establishing a plan for improving agriculture. For the sake of the whole nation, we are dedicated to assuming responsibility for the National Agriculture Plan, which represents the government’s goal for the upcoming five years.”
The Rural Community Finance Project (RCFP), which has a total cost of US$10.79 million and a US$6 million contribution from IFAD, is one of the four major projects that have been used to implement the current COSOP (2020–2025). With a total investment of US$32.5 million, of which IFAD provided around US$26.5 million, the Tree Crops Extension Project (TCEP), which focused on smallholder participation in the cocoa value chain in Nimba County, came to an end in June 2023.
“Additionally, the Tree Crops Extension Project II (TCEP II), which has received US$47.6 million in financing, builds on the achievements of TCEP by promoting smallholder participation in the cocoa value chain in Lofa County. This initiative, the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization initiative (STAR-P), has been expanded to the counties of Nimba and Bong until December 2027. This project, which is co-financed with the World Bank and has a total budget of US$107.2 million, including US$51.7 million from IFAD, promotes the integration of smallholder farmers into the value chains for rice, horticulture, and oil palm.” He said.
These programs lay the groundwork for the next stage of Liberia’s agricultural development and serve as the cornerstone of the organization’s continued partnership with the government.
To achieve long-lasting effects on Liberia’s agricultural sector, the new COSOP will need to be implemented successfully, which would need a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including development partners, the private sector, and government authorities. The workshop for stakeholder input is a crucial step in accomplishing these goals.
