By Emmanuel Tophic Degleh
The United States Government through USAID has officially launched the US$20 Million Feed the Future Liberia Food Security, Nutrition and Resilience FSNR Activity Kakata, Margibi County on Tuesday.
The initiative is part of the US Government’s commitment to tackling global hunger, malnutrition, and increased agricultural production on the Continent.
At the Launched in Kakata, Tuesday, Acting USAID Mission Director, Rory Donohoe, said the initiative followed after US President Joe Biden’s unveiled Liberia as a priority country for Feed the Future initiative last year.
Donohoe said the twenty Million US Dollars investment will support the Ministry of Agriculture to harness productivity and strengthen farmers’ capacities to access finance among others.
“It has been a catalyst for change, empowering individuals to overcome the burden of hunger and malnutrition, uplifting their spirits, and nurturing their potential” Donohoe noted.
The deputy USAID Mission Director furthered that the decision to launch the Feed the Future program in Liberia is not just meant to harness Liberia’s struggling agricultural sector but acknowledging the country’s food insecurity that has affected nearly half of all Liberian households.
“It represents the chance to cultivate the foundation of a robust economy, to offer quality health and education services and to fortify the very systems that underpin a flourishing society” he added.
At the same time, Agriculture Minister, Jeanine Cooper has described the US Feed the Future Initiative as a transformative effort to boost the Country’s agricultural sector.
Minister Cooper said the project will have far-ranging impacts on agricultural activities and ensuring food security in Liberia.
Minister Cooper said as part of the initiative, the US Feed the Future Program is partnering with farming cooperatives, women, and youth groups to enhance their productivity.
Minister Cooper however assured the United States Agency for International Development and implementing partners of the Government’s commitment to the full actualization of the project.
RTI International and other key partners including BRAC, will implement the five-year project which targets beneficiaries most of whom are women and youth in Bong, Grand Bassa, Lofa, Margibi, Montserrado, and Nimba Counties.
Liberia is now a priority Country of the US Government Feed the Future Initiative, a flagship program to tackle global hunger and Food Security.
The five-year FSNR activity seeks to sustainably improve market access and the provision of services that are needed to achieve long-term adoption of climate change-smart agriculture approaches, increase incomes, diversify livelihoods, and marketing of nutritious food.
The project will benefit about 15,000 individuals with 65% being women.
