The overall objective of theComprehensive Assessment of the Agricultural Sector (CAAS)is to provide an evidence base to enable appropriatestrategic policy responses by the Government of Liberia(GoL) and its development partners in order to maximize thecontribution of the agriculture sector to theGovernment's overarching policy objectives. Given thestrong relationship between growth in agriculturalproductivity and poverty reduction, future efforts inLiberia need to focus on productivity enhancing measureswith a pro-poor focus that increase incomes. Growth based onextensification using traditional technologies is generallynot profitable and has damaging implications for theenvironment. Given the low level of assets possessed by mostLiberians, future efforts need to address the question ofaccess to assets (i.e. land, knowledge and inputs) inaddition to providing opportunities and an enablingenvironment. Liberia needs to make concerted efforts topreserve and consolidate its emerging stability by focusingon interventions to ensure food security and povertyalleviation at the community and household levels. Improvingaccess to food and generating sustainable, remunerativeactivities and employment are crucial to this process. Thisreport is designed to assist in indicating and specifyingthe potential role of specified agricultural commodity valuechains in achieving the priority objectives of thegovernment by focusing on small holders, traditionalfarming, and food security and forms an input for thepreparation of a strategic orientation framework to achievesustainable food security, nutrition and agriculturaldevelopment. This report reviews gender issues inLiberia's agriculture and rural sector with a specialfocus on rural women and how to improve their participationand contribution to rural development. The report reviewswomen's roles in agriculture and the rural economy;their access to key inputs and services which are essentialto carry out their socio-economic role in rural areas; aswell as gender-related social trends and problems that mayhave an impact on productivity and poverty reduction inrural areas. The assessment also reviews the institutionaland policy framework for agriculture and rural developmentand identifies opportunities to improve the ruralsector's capacity to address gender issues and supportfemale farmers and rural entrepreneurs. The findings andrecommendations will inform the reform of the sector,currently underway, and thereby support the GoL povertyreduction effort and the implementation of the InterimPoverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP).
PDF
download
878987797
028-85220240
