Comprehensive Assessment of the            Agriculture Sector in Liberia : Volume 2, Sub-sector            Reports, Part I

Ministry of Agriculture (Liberia)

Comprehensive Assessment of the Agriculture Sector in Liberia : Volume 2, Sub-sector Reports, Part I

Autores

Descripción

The overall objective of the Comprehensive Assessment of the Agricultural Sector (CAAS) is to provide an evidence base to enable appropriate strategic policy responses by the Government of Liberia (GoL) and its development partners in order to maximize the contribution of the agriculture sector to the Government's overarching policy objectives. Given the strong relationship between growth in agricultural productivity and poverty reduction, future efforts in Liberia need to focus on productivity enhancing measures with a pro-poor focus that increase incomes. Growth based on extensification using traditional technologies is generally not profitable and has damaging implications for the environment. Given the low level of assets possessed by most Liberians, future efforts need to address the question of access to assets (i.e. land, knowledge and inputs) in addition to providing opportunities and an enabling environment. Liberia needs to make concerted efforts to preserve and consolidate its emerging stability by focusing on interventions to ensure food security and poverty alleviation at the community and household levels. Improving access to food and generating sustainable, remunerative activities and employment are crucial to this process. This report is designed to assist in indicating and specifying the potential role of specified agricultural commodity value chains in achieving the priority objectives of the government by focusing on small holders, traditional farming, and food security and forms an input for the preparation of a strategic orientation framework to achieve sustainable food security, nutrition and agricultural development. This report reviews gender issues in Liberia's agriculture and rural sector with a special focus on rural women and how to improve their participation and contribution to rural development. The report reviews women's roles in agriculture and the rural economy; their access to key inputs and services which are essential to carry out their socio-economic role in rural areas; as well as gender-related social trends and problems that may have an impact on productivity and poverty reduction in rural areas. The assessment also reviews the institutional and policy framework for agriculture and rural development and identifies opportunities to improve the rural sector's capacity to address gender issues and support female farmers and rural entrepreneurs. The findings and recommendations will inform the reform of the sector, currently underway, and thereby support the GoL poverty reduction effort and the implementation of the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP).

Palabras clave

ACCESS TO CREDIT, ACCESS TO FOOD, ACCESS TO MARKETS, AGRICULTURAL CHANGE, AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES, AGRICULTURAL COMMODITY, AGRICULTURAL CROPS, AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS, AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION, AGRICULTURAL INPUT, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING, AGRICULTURAL POLICY, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT, AGRICULTURAL TRADE, AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL PRODUCTION, ANIMAL RESOURCES, AQUACULTURE, ARABLE LAND, AVERAGE YIELD, BEANS, BEER, BEVERAGES, BREAKFAST CEREALS, CA, CACAO, CAPACITY BUILDING, CASH CROP, CASH CROPS, CASSAVA, CASSAVA PRODUCTION, CEREAL IMPORTS, COCOA, COCOA BEANS, COCOA PRICES, COFFEE, COFFEE PRODUCTION, COFFEE TREE, COMMERCIAL BANKS, COMMERCIAL CROPS, COMMERCIAL FARMERS, COMMERCIAL FARMS, COMMODITIES, CONTRACT FARMING, COOPERATIVES, COWPEA, CREDIT SCHEMES, CROP, CROP DEVELOPMENT, CROP LOSSES, CROP PRODUCTION, CROPPING, CROPPING SYSTEM, CULTIVATION, DRIED FRUIT, DRY SEASON, EMERGENCY EMPLOYMENT, EMPLOYMENT GENERATION, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, EXPORT CROPS, EXTENSION AGENTS, FALLOWING, FAO, FARM, FARM MANAGEMENT, FARM PRODUCTION, FARM SIZE, FARM SIZES, FARM WORK, FARMER, FARMERS, FARMING, FARMING AREAS, FARMING PRACTICES, FARMING SECTOR, FARMING SYSTEMS, FARMS, FEED, FEEDER ROADS, FERTILIZER, FERTILIZER USE, FISH, FISH FARMERS, FISH PRODUCTION, FISHERIES, FISHERIES MANAGEMENT, FLOUR, FOOD AID, FOOD COMMODITIES, FOOD CONTAMINATION, FOOD CROP, FOOD CROP PRODUCERS, FOOD CROP PRODUCTION, FOOD CROPS, FOOD HANDLING, FOOD IMPORTS, FOOD INSECURITY, FOOD PROCESSING, FOOD PRODUCTS, FOOD QUALITY, FOOD SECURITY, FOODSTUFF, FORESTRY, FRESH FRUIT, FRUIT CROPS, FRUIT PRODUCTION, FRUITS, GOATS, GRAIN, GRAINS, HARVEST, HARVESTS, HAZARDS, HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION, HOUSEHOLD FOOD, HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY, HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, HUSBANDRY, IITA, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE, INDUSTRIAL CROPS, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE, IRRIGATION, JUICES, LAND TENURE, LAND USE, LANDS, LEGUMES, LIVELIHOODS, LIVESTOCK, LIVESTOCK ASSETS, LIVESTOCK PRODUCT, LIVESTOCK SECTOR, LOCAL MARKET, LONG GRAIN, LONG GRAIN VARIETY, MAIZE, MARKET DEMAND, MARKET INFORMATION, MARKET PLACE, MARKET PRICE, MARKETING SUPPORT, MARKETING SYSTEM, MEAT, MICRO-FINANCE, MICRO-FINANCE INSTITUTIONS, MICRO-PROJECT, MICRO-PROJECTS, MICROFINANCE, MIDDLE EAST, MILK, MOA, NATURAL RUBBER, NUTRITION, NUTRITIOUS FOOD, NUTS, OIL PALM, OKRA, ONIONS, PACKAGING, PADDY, PADDY RICE, PALM NUTS, PALM OIL, PALM PRODUCTS, PEPPER, PEPPERS, PEST MANAGEMENT, PESTICIDE, PESTICIDE APPLICATION, PESTS, PETROLEUM PRODUCTS, PLANT DISEASES, PLANTATIONS, POOR INFRASTRUCTURE, POST HARVEST, POST HARVEST LOSSES, POST-HARVEST HANDLING, POVERTY ALLEVIATION, POVERTY LEVEL, PRODUCE, PRODUCTION SYSTEM, PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, PRODUCTIVITY OF LAND, RAINY SEASON, REPLANTING, RICE, RICE PRODUCTION, ROOT CROPS, ROOTS, RUBBER, RURAL AREAS, RURAL FINANCE, RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, RURAL PEOPLE, RURAL POPULATION, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, SEED, SEEDS, SHIFTING CULTIVATION, SMALL FARM, SMALL FARMERS, SMALL-SCALE FARMING, SMALLHOLDER FARMS, SOFT DRINKS, SOIL TYPES, STARCH, SUBSISTENCE, SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE, SUBSISTENCE FARMERS, SUGAR, TOMATOES, TREE CROPS, TREES, TUBERS, UNDP, UNITED NATIONS, UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UPLAND RICE, URBAN MARKETS, USAID, VEGETABLE CROP, VEGETABLE OILS, VEGETABLE PRODUCERS, VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, VEGETABLES, VEGETATION, VETERINARY SERVICES, VULNERABLE GROUPS, WARDA, WFP, WHEAT, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME, YAM, YIELDS