September 2, 2010

Liberia's agricultural sector to benefit from EU facility

Liberia is set to receive EUR4.5 million (US$5.77 million) from the European Union Food Facility (EUFF) for agriculture development.

The funds will be accessed through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) over a two-year period as part of a broad initiative to extend emergency assistance to vulnerable rural households. The initiative, which is also being supported by the Liberia government and the UN Joint Programme for Food Security and Nutrition, aims to empower agriculture-based households to improve crop yields and boost their living standards.

The EUFF is expected to benefit the activities of other organisations, such as the World Food Program and the UN Development Program, which includes school food and food-for-work programmes as well as road and dam construction projects.

Liberia's receipt of aid under the EUFF is part of the FAO's EUR1-billion (US$1.28 billion) funding package for least-developed countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to help ensure lasting food security. In Liberia, the initiative is focusing on enhancing productivity for key food crops.

Overall, the FAO continues to provide training and technical assistance with EUFF support to improve access to seeds and farming inputs, disseminate knowledge on water irrigation and planting techniques, and boost the quality of extension services, among other measures.

Liberia's government remains keen to rehabilitate its agricultural sector and tap into its potential for both subsistence and commercial production.