Monrovia – A two-day validation workshop on the review of the Liberia’s Agriculture approval process is expected to get underway in Monrovia at the Robert L. Johnson (RLJ) Resort in Kendeja, ELWA from November 21 to 22, 2017.
The workshop is organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).
In a press release, FAO said the two-day seminar is being held in the framework of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) Program.
The release added that the two-day seminar will bring together participants from food security sectors, including the government line ministries and agencies, civil society organizations, community based organizations, concessionaries, private sectors and the media.
FAO said the objective of the seminar is to support the application of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance Tenure (VGGT) by providing technical guidance on how to safeguard the tenure rights in the context of agricultural land related investment.
“In 2015, FAO has implemented blended of learning sessions to support the implementation of the VGGT at country levels. In line with its strategic objectives 2 — ‘Make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable’, FAO embarked on series of capacity development seminars involving key government authorities in charge of agricultural investment promotion, approval, and monitoring activities.”
The release further cited: “In July 2017, a working group consisting of representatives from the governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone and FAO met to review and modify the investment approval process currently in use in Liberia and Sierra Leone,” the release said.
FAO noted that the primary objective of these exercises were meant to help officials of the two countries to fulfill their role of targeting investments in a way that furthers national development goals, safeguard land tenure and contribute to food security and nutrition.
The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) was endorsed by the World Food Committee in May 2012.
Since then, the VGGT has received great attention and support by governments, civil society organizations and other stakeholders in Africa.
VGGT is a tool employ by FAO to Promotes and secure tenure rights and equitable access to land as a means for eradicating hunger and poverty.