A one-day intensive symposium on National Consultations and Partnerships around Agroecological Transitions and Identification of Themes that can contribute to Public Policies ended on Thursday August 31, 2022 at the Ministry of Agriculture with several stakeholders, Extension Technicians, lead farmers and producers from the agricultural sector participating.
The forum brought together about 75 participants to dialogue and craft strategies that could be mainstreamed into Liberia’s educational system; influence national policy decisions and investments in agroecology and to submit recommendations that will be unified into the regional-based agenda of ECOWAS.
Outlining the overview of the project, the Director of Land and Water Management at the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Halala Willie Kokulo said, ECOWAS has launched within the framework of the implementation of its Common Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP), a regional Agroecology Program in its fifteen member states, aiming at the promotion and dissemination of Agroecology and ecologically intensive Agriculture for the resilience of populations to food insecurity, and climate change in West Africa based on which a memorandum of understanding was signed in August 2021 between the Ministry of Agriculture and ECOWAS Regional Agency for Agriculture and Water Resources.
Mr. Kokulo affirmed that, in this perspective, ECOWAS, AFD, and the EU have funded the first phase of this project titled, ‘ECOWAS Agroecology Program in Liberia – EAPL.’
He explained further that the Program will support Family farms in rural communities in an agroecological transition that reconciles economic performances, food security, strengthening of resilience, preservation of the environment, and the health of populations.
The Land and water management specialist said the ECOWAS Agroecology Program in Liberia – EAPL, will contribute to the improving good governance of the natural resources, reducing the region’s vulnerability to climate and environmental risks through the dissemination of sustainable agricultural intensification and agroecology practices, and the co-construction of knowledge by stakeholders to ensure favorable conditions of private investment in ecologically intensive and economically sustainable agriculture.
He told the gathering that West African agriculture needs to transform itself in order to sustainably feed a rapidly growing population while addressing the challenges of natural resources, degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change among other. “ECOWAS supports the development and implementation of innovative Agro-ecological practice projects for improved food and nutrition security through its Agro-ecology Program (PAE)” he concluded.
For his part, Deputy Agriculture Minister for Regional Development, Research and Extension Dr. George Tee Forpoh said the intent of this program across the sub-region is to assist in the improvement of governance of natural resource management for the reduction of the vulnerability of climate change, and our environmental risks.
When these things are been achieved, Dr. Forpoh said, we will witness improvement of sustainability in agricultural intensification of agro-ecological practices. The Deputy Minister concluded that this can be done through coordination, participation and the exchange of knowledge.
