The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved the funding of the Emergency Food Production Programme in Liberia to boost food production in the country.

Development Diaries reports that the funding includes a U.S.$2.28 million grant and a U.S.$2.84 million loan from AfDB’s Transition Support Facility.

According to the AfDB, the African Emergency Food Production facility will provide certified seeds to smallholder farmers, increase access to agricultural fertilisers, and rapidly increase food production.

Agriculture contributes about 20 percent to Liberia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP); however, several factors have left agricultural productivity at a low level in the West African country.

Weak basic infrastructures, limited application of fertilisers and pesticides, and inadequate food storage capacity have all impacted the agricultural output of Liberia.

Nearly 50 percent of the country’s population is currently considered to be food insecure, while about 35 percent of children under age five are stunted.

It is understood that the Emergency Food Production Programme, which will be implemented from 2022 to 2024, will enable the Liberian government to provide direct subsidies to vulnerable farmers.

‘We welcome this timely and highly awaited approval, which will improve food and nutrition security in Liberia and the regulatory environment for climate-smart agriculture’, said AfDB’s country manager for Liberia, Benedict Kanu.

‘With healthy Liberians being arguably the greatest asset the country can have, hardly any other priority could be more pressing than addressing food insecurity to safeguard the calorie and nutrition needs of Liberians and protecting their human development’.

The African Emergency Food Production Facility has already benefitted 26 countries in Africa with 26 programmes worth U.S.$1.257 billion

Source: AfDB

Photo source: FAO