USAID Liberia is working to spur community and market revitalization in post-war Liberia through cross-cutting initiatives in infrastructure, energy, private sector competitiveness, agriculture, food security, and natural resources management. Additionally, infrastructure and energy projects contribute to other USAID-supported education, health, and governance projects throughout Liberia.
AGRICULTURE SECTOR AND FOOD SECURITY
Liberia is a focus country under President Obama’s Feed the Future Initiative. Our agricultural programs aim to increase agricultural production and rural incomes; stimulate private enterprise growth and investments, to reduce food product losses between farm and market and improve quality of local produce to enhance competitiveness of the agriculture sector and prevent malnutrition through nutrition sensitive interventions.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Farm to market road rehabilitation is a prominent feature of USAID supported infrastructural activities in Liberia. We are working to improve up to 500 km of rural feeder roads and build the capacity of Liberians and Liberian road construction contractors to rehabilitate and maintain roads.
The Sustainable High Impact Infrastructure for Education and Agriculture (SHINE) Program provides construction services for vertical infrastructure activities in support of USAID funded projects in Agriculture, Higher Education, Economic Governance and Natural Resources Management in Liberia. Construction activities targeted under this project includes renovation/expansion of library and five staff housing units at Cuttington University Campus. renovation of University of Liberia Engineering Building, New construction of Liberia Institute of Public Administration(LIPA) training rooms and new construction of annexes Community Colleges in Lofa, Nimba and Grand Bassa Counties.
ENERGY
Liberia is implementing the “Power Africa Initiative,” which leverages private sector investment to provide energy throughout the Continent and through Power Africa’s technical assistance, we are supporting the procurement of a new management services contract to improve the utility’s management and operation towards commercial and financial viability. We have also supported capacity building at the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency and implemented three renewable energy pilot programs and re-programming a fourth pilot to bring electricity to at least 5,000 households in four towns in rural Liberia.
FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Our current work to promote sustainable management of Liberia’s forest resources builds on our prior successes in developing the capacity of forest communities as well as the Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority and other government agencies to improve forest management, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods.
EBOLA RESPONSE
To ensure that small firms and businesses have access to the operating and investment capital they need to sustain and expand productive economic activity and employment in post-Ebola Liberia, USAID/Liberia continues to work with banks to maintain and where possible increase private lending. This effort is supported by guarantees through USAID’s Development Credit Authority.
Additionally, USAID/Liberia entered a Public-Private Partnership agreement under the Global Development Alliance with Pan-Africa Capital Group. The agreement allows Pan Africa Capital Group to implement the Liberia Economic Impact Fund aimed at restoring post-Ebola economic losses.
FOOD FOR PEACE
To ensure food security of vulnerable populations, FFP has designed a five (5) year activity targeting communities in Bong, Grand Bassa and Rivercess Counties. Additionally, FFP is partnering with key stakeholders (National Disaster Management Agency and the National Social Protection Unit) to strengthen country systems.
