BEIJING, China – Liberia’s efforts to modernize agriculture and strengthen smallholder farming have gained further exposure to global innovations and experiences following the participation of the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P)/Investing in Livelihood Resilience and Soil Health in ACP Countries (ILSA) in the 2026 World AgriFood Innovation (WAFI) Conference in Beijing, China.
By Augustus D.R [email protected]
The three-day conference, held September 17–19 in Pinggu, Beijing, brought together policymakers, agricultural experts, researchers, development partners, private-sector actors and innovators to exchange knowledge and explore solutions for building more productive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.
STAR-P/ILSA Project Coordinator Stephen Marvie participated in the global gathering, engaging with participants on innovations, technologies and partnerships with potential relevance to Liberia’s agricultural transformation.
Also attending the Beijing engagements were IFAD’s Country Director for Liberia, Mr. Marcelin Norvilus, and Mr. Lorenzo Nimley, Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, further strengthening Liberia’s participation in the international knowledge exchange.
Hosted by China Agricultural University under the theme, “Green and Healthy Transformation of Agrifood Systems,” WAFI 2026 placed strong emphasis on innovation, technology, climate resilience, sustainable food production, and partnerships as countries confront growing food-security and natural-resource challenges.
For STAR-P/ILSA, the conference provided an opportunity to learn from experiences in other countries, explore technologies and approaches that could be adapted to Liberia’s farming conditions, and strengthen connections with institutions and actors working to improve agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.
The engagement was particularly timely as Liberia works to expand mechanized agriculture, improve productivity and reduce farmers’ dependence on labor-intensive production methods.
Ahead of WAFI 2026, Mr. Marvie also participated in the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) Marketplace on Small-scale Agricultural Machinery, held September 15–16 at the UN Compound in Beijing.
The Marketplace brought together participating countries and institutions to share experiences and practical solutions in small-scale agricultural mechanization. Discussions also provided exposure to machinery, technologies, and approaches that could make mechanized services more accessible and appropriate for smallholder farmers.
The Beijing engagements provided STAR-P/ILSA with practical lessons and new perspectives to inform ongoing efforts to strengthen smallholder agriculture in Liberia, particularly in mechanization, climate resilience, sustainable production, and innovation.
STAR-P/ILSA is implemented by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Agriculture, with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
In a related development, the Government of Liberia and IFAD will conduct a Joint Supervision Mission from September 22 to October 9, 2026, covering the Tree Crop Extension Project Phase Two (TCEP-II), Building Climate Resilience in the Rice and Cocoa Sectors Project (BCRP), STAR-P and ILSA.
The mission will review implementation and financial progress, assess follow-up actions from previous missions, identify operational challenges, and strengthen coordination among the projects to accelerate results and maximize the impact of IFAD-supported investments on farmers and rural communities across Liberia.
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