The Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) and the Cooperative Development Agency CDA) have officially entered into a strategic partnership aimed at revitalizing the livelihoods of farmers and strengthening cooperative structures across the nation.
The agreement was solidified earlier on recently during a high-level consultative meeting held at LACRA’s head office.
This collaboration marks a significant shift in the country’s agricultural landscape, moving toward a more inclusive and streamlined regulatory environment.
A central pillar of this new partnership is LACRA’s commitment to institutional reform.
In a move to maximize profits for local producers, LACRA announced plans to transition away from traditional intermediary buyers. Instead, the Authority will work directly with cooperatives, ensuring that farmers receive a larger share of the value chain.
Key Objectives of the Collaboration will be on information Sharing, establishing a robust framework for exchanging program data to better serve the agricultural community, direct Partnership prioritizing direct relationships with farming cooperatives to eliminate unnecessary middlemen and capacity building to strengthen internal structures of local cooperatives to promote teamwork and sustainable growth among others.
The CDA and LACRA will combine their expertise to provide enhanced support services, ensuring that cooperatives are not only compliant with national regulations but are also positioned to compete in larger markets.
This cooperation is expected to foster a more resilient agricultural sector, driving economic stability.
The Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) is responsible for regulating the trade and export of agricultural commodities in Liberia, ensuring quality control and fair pricing within the sector while the Cooperative Development Agency (CDA) is the government arm dedicated to the formation, registration and supervision of cooperatives, aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of Liberian citizens through collective action.
