Monrovia, Liberia – March 18, 2025 – The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), in collaboration with the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has successfully concluded a joint field supervision mission for the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P). The mission, which took place from March 14 to 18, 2025, covered key agricultural counties to assess project implementation, enhance execution strategies, and address emerging challenges faced by smallholder farmers.
The supervision team focused on financial management, procurement processes, and environmental and social safeguards, ensuring that STAR-P adheres to global best practices while delivering tangible benefits to rural communities.
Leading the World Bank delegation was Senior Agriculture Economist and Task Team Leader, Osman Gyasi Kadir. IFAD’s Country Representative, Pascaline Barankeba, led the IFAD team, while the Government of Liberia was represented by Deputy Minister for Administration Antoinette F. Dukuly and Deputy Minister for Regional Development, Research, and Extension Moses R. Gbanyan. Also participating were National Project Coordinator Galah Toto, STAR-P Operations Manager Stephen Marvie, and representatives from the STAR-P and Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP).
During the mission, officials visited project beneficiaries across six key counties: Montserrado, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Margibi, Bong, and Nimba. These on-site assessments allowed the delegation to gain firsthand insights into STAR-P’s impact on smallholder farmers and agribusiness development.
Farmers and agribusiness owners shared testimonies highlighting notable improvements in productivity, market access, and overall agribusiness growth. The mission provided an opportunity to engage directly with beneficiaries, assess progress, and identify potential areas for enhancement in project implementation.
STAR-P, funded by the World Bank and IFAD, plays a pivotal role in Liberia’s agricultural development agenda. The project is designed to strengthen value chains for key crops, improve market access, and support agribusiness expansion, ultimately reducing the nation’s dependency on food imports.
This joint supervision mission reaffirms the commitment of the World Bank, IFAD, and the Government of Liberia to improving agricultural productivity, fostering economic empowerment, and enhancing the livelihoods of rural farmers.
The outcomes of the mission are expected to contribute significantly to the overall success of STAR-P, ensuring that it meets its objectives and delivers long-term benefits to the people of Liberia under the leadership of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.