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Cabinet officials

Liberia's Agriculture Sector Receives Boost from World Bank Funding Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the global economy, Liberia's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has announced a significant boost to the country's agriculture sector. With funding from the World Bank, the MOA has awarded contracts to 10 smallholder farmers and food processors for rice and cassava production under the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation Agribusinesses Revitalization Project (STAR-P). The project aims to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on agriculture and food security for Liberians, with a total of US$10.5 million allocated for the initiative.

Key Takeaways:

  • The MOA has awarded contracts to 10 smallholder farmers and food processors for rice and cassava production under the STAR-P project, with a total value of US$10.5 million from the World Bank.
  • The contracts are part of the MOA's bid to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the agriculture sector and ensure food security for Liberians.
  • The STAR-P project will see the empowerment of Liberian-owned agribusinesses, with a focus on producing locally grown food products, including rice, cassava, and gari.
  • The project has onboarded four key entities, including the Bravo Sisters, FALAMA Inc., Global Agro, and Destiny Women, among others.
  • Minister of Agriculture, Madam Jeanine Milly Cooper, has vowed to empower Liberian-owned agribusinesses and farmers, with a focus on boosting locally grown food production.
  • The project has attracted US$5 million from the World Bank, with the remaining funds allocated to support the empowerment of Liberian-owned agribusinesses.

Statistics:

  • Total funding allocated for the STAR-P project: US$10.5 million
  • Amount given to the World Food Program (WFP) for food distribution: US$5 million
  • Remaining fund allocated for the empowerment of Liberian-owned agribusinesses: US$5.5 million
  • Total metric tons of gari to be produced by beneficiaries: 648 metric tons
  • Total metric tons of fufu flour to be produced by beneficiaries: 242 metric tons
  • Total metric tons of cassava flour to be produced by beneficiaries: 199 metric tons
  • Total metric tons of locally grown rice to be produced by beneficiaries: 1,441 metric tons

Sources:

  • The New Dawn
  • FrontPageAfrica (2020)

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