MONROVIA – Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) following engagements held during the 49th Session of IFAD’s Governing Council in Rome, Italy.
The Governing Council, IFAD’s highest decision-making body comprising 180 Member States, met recently and focused on strengthening agricultural investments and improving support to farmers across developing countries.
Ahead of the main session, the Minister also participated in pre-meetings and bilateral engagements with IFAD leadership and senior management. This year’s meeting was held under the theme “From Farm to Market: Investing with Young Entrepreneurs,” with discussions centered on improving agricultural value chains, supporting young people in agriculture, and expanding market opportunities for farmers.
The meeting also marked the start of consultations for IFAD’s next financing cycle, IFAD 14, which will guide future agricultural investments.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. Nuetah discussed with IFAD Regional Director for Central and West Africa, Bernard Mwinyel Hien, the progress of ongoing IFAD-supported projects in Liberia and opportunities to expand support for farmers.
Both parties acknowledged the impact of projects, including the Tree Crops Extension Programme (TCEP I and II) and the Building Climate Resilience Project (BCRP), which have supported farmers by improving production, developing rural infrastructure, and increasing access to markets.
A key achievement highlighted was the establishment of the National Cocoa Seed Garden in Nimba County under TCEP I, which continues to support the development of Liberia’s cocoa sector.
With some projects expected to close in early 2027, discussions focused on securing additional financing to sustain ongoing progress.
Dr. Neutah outlined plans to expand TCEP II to include Liberia’s indigenous Liberia coffee, identified as an important crop for future growth. Plans are also being considered to establish a Liberia coffee seed garden to support farmers and expand production nationwide.
The meeting also discussed the proposed development of a livestock program to support farmers, particularly in southeastern Liberia, and the expansion of the STAR Project, which currently supports cassava and rice production and rural infrastructure development in several counties.
Additional funding is being considered to scale up the project and extend its impact. Further discussions covered market opportunities for Liberian cocoa, including continued exports to Europe and ongoing efforts to expand market access in other regions.
Efforts are also underway to improve farmer training, traceability systems, and certification processes to enable farmers to access higher-value markets.
Speaking following the engagement, Dr. Nuetah emphasized that Liberia’s partnership with IFAD remains critical to achieving national goals of food self-sufficiency, rural transformation, and inclusive economic growth.
IFAD’s leadership has also expressed interest in visiting Liberia later this year to observe ongoing projects and engage with farmers benefiting from the partnership, including a planned visit to the National Cocoa Seed Garden in Nimba County.
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