Food and Enterprise Development Program (FED)
More than half of Liberians make their living through agriculture, yet agriculture is not seen as a business by most of the nation’s farmers. Taking an approach tailored to the specific conditions of the country and the various locations, FED is helping Liberia achieve food security—in terms of food availability, utilization, and affordability—by building indigenous incentive structures that assist a range of agricultural stakeholders to adopt a commercial approach. Our methodology is market-led and value chain-driven, dedicated to building indigenous capacity, and focused on benefiting Liberia’s women and youth. During the life of the project, expanded market linkages will lead to substantial income and job growth and major increases in the production, processing, marketing, and nutritional utilization of rice, cassava, and vegetables in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Montserrado, and Margibi counties. These areas are being targeted as a regional development corridor that fosters commerce, simultaneously improving food availability food access and dietary diversity for Liberians.
Sample Activities
- Develop and disseminate improved technologies for agricultural productivity and profitability.
- Expand and modernize the input supply and extension systems.
- Improve commercial marketing and food processing.
- Bolster Liberian organizations that support business and farming.
- Develop the skills of the agriculture-related workforce.
- Launch a Market Development Fund to build Liberian capacity—partnering across the public sector, private sector, and civil society—without compromising market development to ensure local ownership of project-supported activities prior to the program’s conclusion.
Client: U.S. Agency for International Development
Contract: 2011–2016
