MONROVIA, December 4, 2024 – The Government of Liberia and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have signed a €5 million grant agreement, marking a significant in Liberia's agricultural transformation. The grant, funded by the European Union through IFAD, aims to scale up Agroecology Approaches in Liberia under the Ministry of Agriculture’s Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P).

At the signing ceremony, IFAD Country Director Madam Pascaline Barankeba reaffirmed IFAD’s long-standing commitment to Liberia’s agricultural development. “I pledge our commitment to supporting Liberia through ongoing and future investments,” she stated. “This grant underscores our collective dedication to advancing agriculture in Liberia. I want to congratulate all our partners—the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Finance, the STAR-P team, and EU staff—for their hard work in designing and endorsing these projects.”

Signing on behalf of the Liberian Government, Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan expressed gratitude to the EU and IFAD for their unwavering support to Liberian farmers. “I am very happy that we are signing an agreement to support agriculture and expand support to some of the projects that will benefit more of our people in several counties,” he remarked.”

Minister Ngafuan also highlighted the transformative potential of the grant, saying, “We look forward to visiting the counties and hearing firsthand the testimonies of farmers whose lives have been impacted by these projects.”

For his part, Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah praised the partners for their unwavering support, emphasizing the alignment of the funding with Liberia’s agricultural priorities. “Looking at the new vision of the government, every additional financing we receive must align with our objectives,” he said. 

Dr. Nuetah also highlighted the importance of feeder road projects and support for smallholder farmers, stating, “Our ARREST agenda is based on agriculture and roads, and IFAD has been instrumental in supporting these two critical pillars, particularly in Nimba and Lofa counties.”

Meanwhile, the Government also signed a two-year extension of the Tree Crop Extension Project-II.  The signing of the revised Financial Agreement on TCEP II extends the TCEP-II by an additional two years to expand coverage to Bong and Nimba counties, improving feeder road infrastructure, thereby enhancing market access for smallholder farmers and supporting smallholder farmers with certified cocoa seeds through the National Cocoa Seed Garden to boost productivity and income.

This collaboration between the Liberian Government, IFAD, and the EU reflects a shared vision of sustainable agricultural development, economic growth, and improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers across Liberia.

Under the Ministry of Agriculture, IFAD is currently funding four projects, including the Tree Crop Extension Project I, Tree Crop Extension Project II, Building Climate Resilience Project, and the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P), which is co-financed with the World Bank.