MOA Reviews National Agriculture Development Plan

Gbarnga, Bong County (The Saharaa) — The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), alongside its collaborative partners, has initiated a two-day field validation exercise in Gbarnga. This undertaking aims to meticulously review four pivotal policy documents, representing a significant stride in channeling government investments towards agriculture and steering the engagement of development partners in Liberia's agricultural advancement. It underscores the proactive involvement of stakeholders in shaping the nation’s agricultural trajectory. At the outset of the workshop, Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah expressed gratitude to organizations such as FAO, WFP, IFAD, the World Bank, USAID, and the African Development Bank for their invaluable contributions to the formulation of these policy documents. These documents are poised to play a vital role in alleviating poverty within the agricultural sector. Dr. Nuetah urged the national legislature to amplify the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Agriculture, emphasizing the government's commitment to making a significant contribution to implementing the proposed National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP). This step is envisioned to complement the efforts of donors in fostering agricultural sector growth. Representatives from FAO, IFAD, and WFP reiterated their support for the Liberian Government's initiatives to fortify the agricultural sector through the National Agriculture Development Plan and its supplementary documents, aimed at bolstering food security in the country. Key documents currently under scrutiny include: the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP): Spanning from 2024 to 2029, the NADP supersedes the Liberia Agricultural Sector Investment Plan (LASIP-II). It accentuates private sector involvement and adopts a value chain approach to stimulate substantial growth within the agricultural sector. Liberia’s Preparedness Plan for Food Security and Nutrition Crisis (PP FNS): This plan aims to mobilize timely resources and actions to prevent and mitigate emerging food and nutrition security crises. Zero Post-Harvest Management Strategy: Recognizing post-harvest losses as a significant impediment to food production, this strategy outlines an integrated approach to address them across priority commodity chains. Food Supply Chain Assessment (FSA): The FSA evaluates supply chain dynamics within rice and cowpea supply chains and provides recommendations for enhancing supply chain efficiency and resilience. The field validation exercise in Bong County follows a successful two-day technical validation held in Monrovia on May 13 and 14, 2024. During this session, stakeholders meticulously reviewed the policy documents, fostering enhanced comprehension of the new five-year agricultural development plan, investment priorities, crisis management strategies, and consensus-building toward Liberia’s agricultural transformation. Looking ahead, the validated policy documents will serve as guiding frameworks for Liberia’s agriculture sector, with careful consideration given to stakeholders’ inputs. The field validation phase, scheduled for May 15 and 16, 2024, in Gbarnga, represents a critical step aimed at further engaging stakeholders at the grassroots level, ensuring inclusivity and fostering ownership of Liberia’s agricultural agenda.