Monrovia, Liberia - September 7, 2020 – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with funding from the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany conducted its inception workshop for a three-phase course on responsible investment in agriculture (RAI). The blended learning programme contains a one-month online phase, two-day face-to-face, and then one month mentorship activities targeting policymakers at Government of Liberia ministries, agencies and commissions involved in processes of the promotion and regulation of both small and large-scale investments in agriculture and food system. This inception workshop comprised invitees from legislative and executive branches including the National Investment Commission, Bureau of Concessions, Environmental Protection Agency and the Liberian Land Authority. Others represented the Ministries of Agriculture, Labour, Youth & Sports, Internal Affairs, Gender, Children and Social Protection, and Finance and Development Planning, in addition to the Office of the President.

The workshop was led by Mr. Octavius Quarbo, Assistant FAO Representative for Programme and project lead, who welcomed the participants and applauded their participation. He emphasized, that as signalled by the Committee on World Food Security, “…if the first two of the seventeen SDGs (ending poverty and hunger) are to be achieved in Liberia, then more and better private-sector investments in agriculture and foods systems have to be rallied and sustained”. Also supporting the blended learning programme is ZOA Liberia, which was represented by its Programme Manager, Mr. Jaap Van Kranenburg. For this part, he stressed the importance of strengthening the environment for RAI and food systems in Liberia, as he delivered highlights of the baseline study ZOA had conducted on FAO’s behalf. He furthered with expression of his optimism and highlighting of the enormous potential of the agricultural sector in Liberia.

The course illustrates the importance of responsible investment in agriculture and food systems for sustainable development. It also analyses the features of an institutional, policy, legal and regulatory environment that fosters responsible investment, and it identifies the main actors who play a role in the process of creating such an enabling environment. One of the participants of the workshop was Honorable Lawrence Morris, Representative of Montserrado District 1, who thanked the organizers for what he viewed as imperative in addressing agricultural challenges faced by Liberia. Honorable Morris noted, “lawmakers like myself find these courses important in understanding the different policies and laws that affect the nation”, and stated that agricultural development can greatly benefit the future of Liberia. The online course will be overseen and supported by FAO, after which participants would be technically equipped to mainstream relevant aspects of ten principles of “responsible investment in agriculture” as endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS-RAI) into their institutional undertakings. Other participants from GoL MACs also provided reassurances of their individual and institutional commitments to contributing toward enhancing the enabling environment for responsible investment in agriculture and food systems.

Media Contact:

Mr. Michael Cooper

Communications Specialist

FAO-Liberia

Email: [email protected]