Building Climate Resilience in Liberia’s Cocoa and Rice Sectors

Climate change and climate variability is expected to affect rainfall patterns, temperatures and to decrease water availability. Adaptation measures must address key challenges posed by climate change. The overall objective of the project is to address key climate vulnerabilities in agriculture and water resources management in the rice and cocoa value chain, and hence contribute to immediate and longer-term development and resilience needs of poor vulnerable smallholder farmers in Liberia. The resilience of the cocoa and rice sector can only be achieved by identifying and implementing a comprehensive set of agricultural practices and agricultural diversification strategy through integrated farming systems designed to increase yields for cash crop (cacao) and staple crop (rice), minimize environmental degradation while maintaining the ecological functions and the rice and cocoa production value chains.

There are four specific objectives of the project, each of which consisting of a set of interrelated activities aimed at reducing the effects of climate change on agricultural activities. These specific objectives are: i) Productivity, ii) Institutional capacity, iii) Alternative livelihoods for youth and women, and iv) Regulatory environment and institutional capacity.