Liberian government and IFAD sign million dollar grant

The Government of Liberia along with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have inked a grant agreement aimed at boosting agricultural development in the region

The US$5.3mn project is part of the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalisation Project (STAR-P), a joint initiative co-financed by IFAD and the World Bank. This funding, provided by the European Union, will support Liberia’s agricultural sector by promoting sustainable practices aimed at increasing the resilience of smallholder farmers.

The primary objective of the project is to improve food security, strengthen the livelihoods of rural communities, and build resilience to climate change by promoting agroecological practices. It will focus on increasing horticultural production through soil fertility enhancement, sustainable water management practices, irrigation technologies, and innovative co-creation models that encourage farmer collaboration.

During the signing ceremony, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan represented the Government of Liberia, while IFAD Country Representative Pascaline Barankeba signed on behalf of the organisation. Minister Ngafuan understored the importance of the partnership while also extending his gratitude to the European Union for its generous contribution.  

IFAD Country Representative Barankeba also expressed her pleasure in signing these financial instruments and pledged IFAD’s commitment to supporting Liberia through ongoing and future investment in the country. Moreover, she also announced that IFAD would declare the country allocation under IFAD 13 early next year. “This will present an opportunity to increase the current investment or identify a new one, thereby taking our cooperation to new levels,” said Barenkeba.