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A new programme is set to transform the cocoa sector and impact livelihoods in West Africa.
Reshaping Liberia’s cocoa sector
Solidaridad will support more women and youth as entrepreneurs through incubation centres, and promote premium and certified cocoa through market engagement with international cocoa off-takers. Until 2023, the Cocoa Value Chain Development Programme will set up 10 additional centres for Cocoa Development to allow more cocoa farmers and allied groups to access several support services to improve productivity and produce sustainable and certified cocoa. Isaac Gyamfi, regional director of Solidaridad West Africa, pledged Solidaridad's commitment to supporting the continual improvement of the Liberian cocoa sector by contributing its experience
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HE EUROPEAN UNION Delegation in Liberia has signed a new partnership agreement with Solidaridad West Africa to implement the Cocoa Value Chain Development Programme in Liberia. The four-year intervention seeks to reduce poverty by increasing incomes, improving livelihoods and the resilience and competitiveness of the Liberia cocoa sector. “The government of Liberia recognises and appreciates the work of Solidaridad and the contribution of the European Union to the agricultural sector,” Robert Fagans, deputy minister for Planning and Development at the Liberia Ministry of Agriculture, said at the signing. “It is our expectation that all sector-related interventions could be well-coordinated to improve the wellbeing of farmers.” The COVADEP programme comes on the heels of about two years of implementation of the Liberia Cocoa Sector Improvement Program (LICSIP) by Solidaridad to create a vibrant, competitive and profitable cocoa economy within a robust national regulatory and institutional framework.
The four-year programme seeks to improve livelihoods and the resilience and competitiveness of the Liberia cocoa sector.
in implementing cocoa sustainability programmes across West Africa and around the world. “We consider our work successful when it improves the livelihoods of farmers, increases national revenue and sector resilience, and maximises benefits for all supply chain actors,” Gyamfi said. “We will use our skills, knowledge and expertise to apply the resources at our disposal to improve farmers’ living conditions in line with the government’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development.” At the signing of the new Solidaridad-EU agreement for cocoa value development John Flomo, the director general of the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulation Authority, under whose leadership Solidaridad supported the authority to develop the first-ever cocoa and coffee policy in Liberia, said,“We look forward to deepening our working relationship with Solidaridad under this new programme to improve the quality of Liberian cocoa, be
competitive on the international market and increase traceability.” Solidaridad will support more women and youth as entrepreneurs through incubation centres and promote cocoa value addition and certification through market engagement with international cocoa off-takers to enhance revenue generation for the Liberian economy. Under the programme, Solidaridad will support the training of appropriate institutions to enforce inclusive sector policies, incubate new cocoa-related small businesses and develop systems for the supply of improved planting materials and investment incentives to promote downstream development. Ivan Borisavljevic, team leader for resilience at the European Union, said, “This new contract with Solidaridad expands on our ongoing partnership to improve the Liberia cocoa sector, which is one of the European Union’s key sectors of interventions.” h
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