Background

The EU-financed technical assistance supports the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs) in Liberia to enhance food and nutrition security through accountable and sustainable agri-food systems governance. Building on the goals of the National Agricultural Development Plan (NADP), this project focuses on improving sector growth, gender- and nutrition-sensitive practices, climate- and ecosystem-smart agriculture, and coordination with private sector actors and development partners.

The project supports Liberia in creating efficient, transparent, and investment-ready agri-food systems, strengthening public-private partnerships, and enhancing monitoring, evaluation, and reporting for sustainable development outcomes.

Objectives

The overall goal is to enhance food and nutrition security by fostering sustainable and accountable agri-food systems growth. Specifically, the project aims to:

1. Achieve sector growth while ensuring nutrition-sensitive, gender-sensitive, and climate-smart agricultural governance.
2. Strengthen the functionality and operational agility of MACs to improve planning, decision-making, and service delivery in Liberia’s agricultural sector.
3. Enhance coordination and cooperation among MACs, the private sector, and development partners to support the NADP and P2P programmes.
4. Improve monitoring, evaluation, data collection, and reporting for better program oversight and accountability.

Activities

Inception Phase

• Conduct a feasibility study in collaboration with the MoA, MACs, and EU Delegation to define an ‘essential package’ of interventions.

• Develop a longlist of expertise (short- and medium-term) to support MACs in improving governance, technical and managerial capacity, and M&E systems.

• Create a deployment plan for LTTAs and SMTEs aligned with the essential package.

• Review MAC mandates and responsibilities to optimize task allocation and operational efficiency.

• Assess capacity gaps and training needs for managerial and technical staff, including the impact of previous trainings.

• Revise the logical framework for the P2P action, establish baseline indicators, and ensure coordination with the AMCU and other stakeholders.

• Set up a Project Steering Committee (PSC), including private sector representatives, and refine its terms of reference.

Implementation Phase

• Provide recommendations to strengthen MACs’ functional organization.

• Deliver on-the-job trainings for MAC staff and private sector actors.

• Support operationalization of governance structures, coordination systems, and information/M&E systems.

• Facilitate investment attraction, decentralization initiatives, and technical capacity strengthening in extension and advisory services.

• Assist in budget planning, revenue generation, and sustainable agriculture policy implementation, including alignment with EUDR.

• Support the P2P programme, enabling peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing, and performance tracking.

Expected Results / Deliverables

1. Financial dexterity strengthened
   • Improved management, business acumen, and linkages to investment opportunities.
   • Enhanced B2B, G2B, and financing interactions to boost agri-food sector growth.
   • Strengthened governance and regulatory frameworks, aligned with EUDR compliance.
2. Functionality and operational agility of MACs enhanced
   • Better information systems, transparency, and accountability.
   • Strengthened leadership and technical capacity for decision-making, monitoring, and service provision.
   • Support for the Ministry’s decentralization agenda and extension services.
3. Coordination and cooperation improved
   • Enhanced stakeholder engagement, including development partners, private sector, and MACs.
   • Alignment of rules, regulations, and policies for nutrition- and gender-sensitive, climate-smart agriculture.
4. Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting strengthened
   • Fine-tuned P2P logframe, baseline establishment, and regular data collection.
   • Improved synergy with NADP and other sector programs.
   • Better coordination with the AMCU and other implementing partners to ensure data-driven decision-making.