Transcript Development of Ecotourism Project in The Lake Victoria and

Climate-Smart Agriculture in
LIBERIA:
Current Status and Support Needs to
better integrate CSA into the LASIP
PRESENTED AT STAKEHOLDERS’ VALIDATION WORKSHOP
MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
June 2014
1
1. THE TERRITORIES OF AGRICULTURAL CLIMATE
CHANGE ADAPTATION IN LIBERIA
2
AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES
Coastal Plains
Upper Highland Tropical Forest
(agriculture belt)
Lower Tropical Forest
Northern Savannah
Climate=high levels of rainfall (4,450- 4,550mm),
high humidity (85-95%), longer sunshine hours,
high and wider temperature ranges
Vegetation=mangroves, scattered patches of low
and high bushes and savannah woodland
Climate=hot and humid
Temperature range from 18.3ᵒC to 29.4ᵒC
Annual rainfall around 1778 to 2032 mm
Vegetation=closed semi-deciduous forest and
transition zone or secondary forest
Climate=warm temperature and
extremely high humidity
Annual rainfall=1930.4 mm
Vegetation=evergreen rainforest
53% of pop. Food insecured
Climate=high elevation with warm temperature and high humidity
Annual rainfall=between 700 mm -1,750 mm
Vegetation=dense elephant grass, scattered trees and 3patches of forests

Analysis of the vulnerability of the territories to climate change
Territories Degree of
exposure to CC
HIGH:
Coastal
 Heavy rainfall,
Plains
Sea erosion &
flooding
Degree of
Adaptive capacity
sensitivity to CC
HIGH:
LOW:
 Transportation  lack of
difficulties and
information and
hike in food
poor
prices
infrastructure
Resulting vulnerability
HIGH:
 Poverty, diseases and
loss of assets, with
women and children
affected mostly
Upper
Highland
tropical
Forest
HIGH:
 Rainfall and
temperature
variation
HIGH:
MEDIUM:
 Transportation  Low: limited
difficulties and
infrastructure
hike in food
 High: Diverse
prices
options
MEDIUM
 Deforestation, decline
in food and cash crop
production, Postharvest losses,
Lower
Tropical
Forest
HIGH:
 Rainfall and
temperature
variation
HIGH:
LOW:
 Transportation 
limited
difficulties and
infrastructure
hike in food
prices
HIGH:
 limited alternatives for
income & livelihoods,
deforestation, low
crop production
Northern HIGH:
Savannah  temperature
variation
HIGH:
LOW:
 Erratic rainfall  Lack capacity to
respond to risks
and flooding
HIGH
 Increase vulnerability
4
to hunger
and
diseases
Current status / diagnosis of climate change adaptation in these territories
Progress observed
Projects and program
Territories
Coastal
Plains
•
•
•
Upper
Highland
tropical
Forest
•
•
•
Lower
Tropical
Forest
•
Northern
Savannah
•
Difficulties
encountered
Awareness
•
Support for cassava •
and fishing projects
Coastal
defense •
project in Buchanan
Climate
change •
agriculture
adaptation project in
Bong county
lowland farming
Rehabilitation
of
farm to market roads
Climate
change •
adaptation
pilot
project in one district •
of Grand Gedeh
County
No program
•
Limited funding
Low agriculture
output
loss of crops and
assets
during
flooding
Lack of climate
forecast
data
and
early
warning system
Needs for support at the local level
•
•
•
•
•
•
Poor
infrastructure
Limited
extension
servces
•
•
•
Inadequacy
•
policy,
training •
and
Increased support for extension
services including fishing projects for
vulnerable communities and women
Funding for coastal defence projects
in vulnerable areas
climate tolerant and resistant rice
and cassava varieties
Micro-finance credit opportunities for
local farmers including vulnerable
women
development of irrigation systems
Support for women in tree crop
production
Support for agriculture extension
services
farm to market roads
Micro-finance credit opportunities
Livestock production
Integrating
livestock
5
plantations
into
tree
Current status / diagnosis of the adaptation
component of national sectorial programmes
NAPA was completed in 2008 with 3 priority projects identified, which are currently
being implemented as follows:
1
Project
Objective
Adaptation
Challenges
Agriculture
adaptation
Enhancing resilience to
increasing rainfall variability
through the diversification of
crop cultivation and small
ruminants rearing
- Use of climate resilient
crops
- Better understanding of
climate change by farmers
Capacity building for staff of
MOA and other partners
- Climate change adaptation
courses integrated into
curriculum of 2 universities
Lack of climate
forecast data
Limited resource
persons and
logistical support
2
National
Meteorologi
cal
Monitoring
System
Enhance adaptive capacity:
The rebuilding of the national
hydro-meteorological
monitoring system and
improved networking for the
measurement of climate
parameters
- Project will provide farmers
and extension officers with
climate information when
completed
Prospect of
information
disseminating in
rural and remote
areas where
information is
most needed
3
Coastal
Defense
Reducing the vulnerability of
coastal urban areas
- Coastal land reclaimed in
Buchanan
6
Limited
funding
LASIP
In keeping with its commitment to the Comprehensive African Agriculture
Programme (CAADP) of NEPAD, GOL developed the LASIP which
expresses Liberia’s strategic choices for the growth and development of
agricultural in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner over a
period of 10 years
LASIP has 5 priority programs:
1.
Food and Nutrition Security
2.
Competitive Value Chains and Market Linkages
3.
Institutional Development
4.
Land and Water Development
5.
Cross-Cutting Issues (Gender & Environment)
LASIP gears toward food security, public and private sector investment for
the agriculture sector, promoting the use of technology and innovation by
local farmers
7
CHALLENGE: Low private sector investment
Integrated Water Resource Management Policy
Policy developed in 2007: to ensure the supply of adequate quantity and
quality of water for domestic water use, food production and other
uses



Mandates scattered amongst various agencies
Inadequate leadership, governance and coordination
low funding
Governance, Advocacy & Leadership in Water, Sanitation and
Leadership (GoAL WaSH) currently being implemented to establish a
mechanism for leadership and coordination in the sector
IWRM Action plan developed in 2014, pending validation
 review and harmonize existing legislations and institutions, water
management strategies and address the impacts of land use and
climate change on water management
 important for the development of irrigation and agriculture water
management systems that are necessary for CSA
8
Inter-institutional dialogue and inter-sectorial
coherence for CSA
Issues:
National Instruments: NAPA, LASIP and IWRMP
benefitted from broad-based stakeholders input during
formulation but interagency coordination and coherence
in implementation has been fragile
Government agency mandated with coordinating
activities between the programs has not been successful in
ensuring effective coordination and coherence
Needs
sharing of resources and personnel to facilitate strategic
joint planning and action
development of strategic capacity at the national and
provincial levels of the various sectors agencies
9
Related existing mechanisms for CSA:
description, progress and bottlenecks
The National Climate Change Steering Committee and the
Ministry of Planning & Economic Affairs mandates provides a
platform for intersectoral coordination for CSA programs.
Inter-sectorial coherence and coordination between the NAPA,
IWRMP and LASIP is weak
Bottlenecks
 Lack of climate change policy
 Inadequate nationally driven climate-smart strategies that
rallies broad stakeholders support
 Stakeholder dialogue with civil society and within
government has been minimal
 Limited budget for intersectorial coordination
10
 No direct budgetary support for CSA
Support needs and requests to
mainstream CSA in the NAIP

Investment for research & development




Capacity Development




Reestablishing the Agricultural Cooperative Development Bank of Liberia to provide
loans and long-term credit for investment in farms,
Support for irrigation development & Hydrology Sector



Revitalization of CARI’s infrastructure including laboratory facilities and equipment
Training of graduate level scientist in fields that support CSA
Training for MOA extension officers
Access to Credit for local farmers


Climate resilient varieties of different crops
barriers and benefits of CSA
impacts of climate change on farming
support for irrigation development/ agricultural water management
support the Liberian Hydrological Services in the areas of training, planning, and
water resources assessment, equipment and instrument, monitoring and water
utilization for the various sectors like agriculture, energy, industries, tourism and
recreation
Support for women and youth access to cash crops

11
support fund that enables women and youth to get involved in cash crop production
Support needs and requests to
strengthen inter-institutional dialogue
and inter-sectorial coherence on CSA




Development of CSA policy
Strengthening the technical capacities within the
relevant government agencies
Strengthen coordinated intersectoral mechanisms
at the Ministry of Agriculture
Fund CSA coordination activities and programs
12