By Allen P. Lablah in Sanniquellie Liberia
An NGO, Solidaridad West Africa has officially launched the Liberia Cocoa Sector Improvement Program (LICSIP) in the country.
The Liberia Cocoa Sector Improvement Program (LICSIP) is a four-year cocoa program, funded by the European Union in the amount of 5 million euro and managed by Solidaridad West Africa in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.
The program, which was launched over the weekend at the Cuttington University Campus in Bong County, is being implemented initially in three counties: Nimba, Lofa and Bong.
Giving the overview of LICSIP Eric Agyare Agribusiness Specialist Solidaridad says LICSIP seeks to revitalize the Liberian Cocoa Sector by creating a vibrant, competitive and profitable cocoa economy driven by farmer groups/associations and private sector supply chain actors, within a robust national regulatory and institutional frame work.
Mr. Agyare said primary the European Union (EU) funds LICSIP with co-funding from Solidaridad West African. He indicated that the program falls under the EU Liberia Agriculture Program which is part of the 2014-2020 National Indicative Program (NIP) for the 11th European Development Fund.
The Solidaridad Agribusiness Specialist further maintained that the program has been developed and agreed with the Liberia Government and allocates euro 279million of EU funding to support good governance, energy, education and agriculture.
‘’The core implementation strategy of LICSIP is to promote farmers’ access to a bouquet of production support services that leads to farm intensification, rehabilitation of moribund farms, new plantings on fallow lands and general extension services through the set up and operation of Centers for Cocoa Development (CCDs),’’ Mr. Agyare said.
According to him Cocoa Companies, farmer organizations and other supply chain actors will operate the CCDs in the cocoa regions as small medium enterprises (SMEs) to provide sustained services.
Mr. Agyare stressed that cocoa is an important cash crop in Liberia whose export potential remains under-developed and as such cocoa export stood at nearly 15,000 tons per year during the pre-war era.
But he said it dropped to zero during the conflict and now stands at an annual production average of 9,500metric tons over the past five years (FAOSTAT Crop production 2012).
The virtually non-existent robust regulatory and policy framework to support the sector could be some of the challenges facing the cocoa program, according to Mr. Agyare.
Speaking behalf of the Liberia Government and the Ministry of Agriculture was Dr. Mogana Flomo Agriculture Minister who pledges the government’s fullest commitment in working and supporting Solidaridad to enhance Liberia’s Agribusiness Sector.
Dr. Flomo said the pro poor agenda of the Liberia Government is to also invest more in agriculture and as such the Solidaridad West Africa European Funded Liberia Cocoa Sector Improvement Program (LICSIP) in the country launch will boost government’s efforts in realizing its dream.
The Liberia Agriculture Minister emphasized that there is no room for sleeping in the ministry.
But the Minister said it is now time for hard work in making sure that sector becomes vibrant and effective in serving the Liberian people through providing assistance to its potential farmer organizations and Agribusiness sectors.
The launch ceremony of the Liberia Cocoa Sector Improvement Program (LICSIP) was graced by over hundred farmers from the targeting three counties including Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to Liberia H. E. Hélène Cav’e, Representative Prince O. S Tokpah, Chairman on Agriculture at the Lower House of Representative.
Others attending the ceremony were Mr. MacArthur Pay-Baye Country Representative Solidaridad Liberia Country Office, Madam Susan Yemidi Solidaridad Global Cocoa Program International Program Coordinator, Mr. George Nimeley Vice President Chief of Office Staff, Madam Esther Walker, Bong County Superintendent amongst others.