the liberia program
DESCRIPTION
Liberia’s Cocoa Sector,Problems associated with liberia's cocoa sector and solutions,strategic objectives of achieving the programTRANSCRIPT
The Liberia Program
Achievements over the last Three Years
MacArthur M. Pay-BayeeSustainable Tree Crops Program - Liberia
FUNDING SOURCES
2006
• USAID - $1.0 M
2007
• USAID - $2.0M
2008
• USAID – 6.314m ( - 2011)
• WB - 190k (2 year)
• USDA thru ACDI/VOCA - $1.25 (2 ½ years)
INTRODUCTIONLiberia’s Cocoa Sector
• First introduced to Liberia in the mid-1800’s
• Mostly smallholder crop in Bong, Grand Gedeh, Lofa and Nimba counties.
• Second largest Liberian export crop at 3.5% export earning, rubber first at 93% (2004)
• Poverty alleviation, job creation and overall socio-economic development
Cocoa harvested from a Liberian farm
Background – the Problems
• Age and general condition of trees – old stocks, disease infested, heavy shade, weeds, insects and pests
• Unclear governmental role
• Fluid security conditions
• Degenerated infrastructure
• Shortage of trained manpower
• Poor post-harvest practices and low quality of produce
Background – Prob. Cont’d
• Monosopny and designation of Liberian cocoa
• Shortage of improved planting materials
• Lack of training (for farmers)
• Lack of marketing infrastructure
• High prices of inputs
• Unscrupulous practices (LBA)
Sample – Liberian dried cocoa
Background – Some Possible Solutions
• Geographic location
• Cocoa rehabilitation and replanting
• FFS methodologies
• Improved planting materials
• Improved marketing
• policy
• Marketing Strategies & Access
PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS
BY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES (SRs)
Strategic Result 1: Enhanced Productivity of Cocoa Farms Through
Intensification
• Baseline survey
• Initial coverage
• Farmer Field Schools on
• CARI seed garden
• Improved cocoa pods CNRA
Strategic Result 1: cont’d
• CARI & CNRA
• FFS cycles
• Improved cocoa planting materials courtesy of CRIG
• CARI and CRIG link
• Seedlings
Strategic Result 1: cont’d
• Plant genetist and seed garden
• Nursery for rootstock
• Additional programmatic areas • 65 facilitators, 61 FFS affecting 97
communities• Farmer to Farmer diffusion
Strategic Result 1: cont’d
• Distribution of improved cocoa planting materials to 6,339 farmers (2007 & 8 FFS graduates and FTF farmers) total trained thus 6,688 (also beneficiaries in responsible social behaviours)
• Seedlings transplanted to farms
One of several nurseries established by FFS graduates – Naii, Bonbg County
Strategic Result 2: Enhanced Marketing Efficiency in the cocoa sector
• Farmers’ Organizations with SOCODEVI
• Additional programmatic areas • Training• Development of SWOT and ODP• Price information at farmgates (MIS testing)
Strategic Result 3: Income Alternatives in cocoa growing communities & agro-
ecologies for equitable growth
• Cocoa Agro-forestry curriculum
• Oil Palm curriculum
• Curriculum testing
• Rubber initiative
• Small Ruminants
Strategic Result 4: Improved Policy Environment
• Policy-related workshops (Government roles and options in marketing)
• Policy briefs
• Cocoa Sector Technical Working Group
• Additional programmatic areas
• A demand-driven extension
EXCO Monrovia photo - Vice President, Boakai, Senator Findley, DGD Aseidu , FAO-Liberia Rep Hammond SSonai Ebai, Youth & Sport Minister Tarpeh, Acting Agriculture Minister Kandakai, to name a fewet al
Strategic result 4: cont’d
• Roundtable: cooperative development, laws and regulations
• Forum: marketing and production policy
• Bi-annual EXCO meeting
Tasks Ahead (now & beyond)• Rubber master plan for Liberia
• Policy briefs
• Demand-driven extension concept note
• Cooperative Development Agency (CDA).
• FFS & hybrid materials for graduates
• Seed garden
• FOS & grouped marketing
• MIS
• Backstopping IITA’s food crops endeavors
QUESTIONS?
• QUESTIONS? • QUESTIONS?
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• THANK YOU!