The World Bank Country Manager, Georgia Wallen, has promised to continue its commitment to engaging actively in the Liberia’s Agriculture sector though it represents roughly 20% of its program.
According to her, over half of Liberians living in poverty depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, with women accounting for 80 percent of the agriculture labor force and surmised that the sector is also integral to winning the struggle against food insecurity, which impacts four of every five Liberians.
Madam Wallen ensured that World Bank will work with the Government of Liberia to ensure that its financing for Agriculture is fully aligned with the government’s sector priorities pointing out, “This includes our flagship engagements, the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P) and Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP), among others.”
Making remarks during the launch of the National Agriculture Development Plan, she added that the success of the agriculture sector is fundamental to the Liberia Rising 2030 goals and achieving sustainable poverty reduction in Liberia.
“Over the last three years, growth in the agriculture sector has gained some momentum, averaging 3.5 percent (2021 to 2023) but much more is needed and much more is possible. Scaling up productivity will mean tackling key challenges, including by boosting access to technology; improving the efficiency of farming practices; increasing private investment; and reducing fragmentation in value chains,” she remarked.
She continued that the new National Agriculture Development Plan makes important contributions to lay the foundation for systemic transformation, and importantly, it will require a “whole-of-government” approach, because increased productivity in agriculture depends on better outcomes in related sectors from transport, to private sector development.
She reiterated, “The National Agriculture Development Plan will therefore be an integral part of the National Development Plan that is currently under preparation by the GOL, on behalf of the World Bank, we welcome today’s launch of the National Agriculture Development Plan, which is an excellent basis for taking the crucial next step: prioritization and selectivity.”
“The World Bank is supporting the Government of Liberia on the Food and Nutrition Security Preparedness Plan. Similarly, the World Bank along with FAO and IFAD is investing in Liberia’s first Agriculture Census in four decades. The Preparedness Plan and Agriculture Census among others will help inform the government’s choices providing essential data to identify opportunities as well as gaps,” she told the audience.
She however welcomed the government’s intention to identify various sources of financing to deliver the plan, including domestic resource mobilization and private capital mobilization and added that they encourage government’s engagement with the International Finance Corporation to build on ongoing support for agribusiness and mobilizing private investment in agriculture.
“We look forward to working with you, supporting strategic, well-informed choices will pave the way to greater impact in this essential sector,” the World Bank boss in Liberia assured.
