Agriculture is the largest sector of the Liberian economy, making up over half of all economic activities and is the most important source of income for women. Rice and cassava has for a while been the staple food. Although rice is highly consumed, it is imported on large-scale. Many Liberians involved with agriculture grow not what they eat due to subsistence farming.
Our programme addresses the problem of poor crop productivity in Liberia by improving the efficiency and management of small to medium farm enterprises. We also address the problem of poor livestock production and productivity through capacity development of farmers, ensuring supply of essential inputs and creating market linkages.
We empower mostly female agriculture farmers by increasing crop production and profitability of agricultural ventures. The programme operates through community agriculture promoters who have prior farming experience. These promoters receive a package consisting of intensive training on crop production practices, microfinance loans and supplies which they utilise to inform and assist other farmers, enabling them to substantially improve crop harvests. These promoters benefit from increased yields on their individual farms as well as gain from an additional income of selling services and inputs, such as high quality seeds, to their farming neighbours.
The programme is also designed to decrease livestock mortality, raise farm productivity and income and increase rural employment. It includes a wide variety of small-scale production systems in rural and peri-urban areas. We undertake activities through self-employed community livestock and poultry promoters. These promoters, who are primarily female, receive intensive training, microfinance loans and supplies which are used to inform and assist other farmers. The promoters benefit from increased yields on their own farms as well as new income from selling services and inputs like poultry vaccine, medicine and also benefit from sharing knowledge among other interested farmers.
