How the UN in Liberia is working with Government and Communities to address Food Insecurity

This has affected a staggering number of citizens with approximately 21,500 people projected during the June to August 2023 in emergency food insecurity levels — and over 531,000 people facing acute food insecurity, associated with high food prices due to high international commodity prices and elevated transport costs.    According to   Liberia’s Rapid Food Security, Livelihoods, Nutrition and Markets Assessment August 2022,( WFP) Liberia faces significant food insecurity, with more than two million people living below the poverty line, accounting for around 47% of the total population of Liberia and a substantial proportion of the population (about 424,000 people) experiencing severe food gaps or insecurity.

Over the last six months, FAO trained a total of 2,687 smallholder farmers and rural individuals in sustainable agricultural practices. Among them, 1,966 smallholders received support for the income-generation activities and benefited from agricultural inputs and equipment (including fingerings, improved rice and vegetable seeds, power tillers, and water pumps). The focus was on empowering women, youth and vulnerable rural populations, with women accounting for 71% of the beneficiaries.

The Home-Grown School Feeding programme, implemented by the World Food Programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, addresses food security and education needs, providing a holistic approach to alleviating poverty and hunger.  Over the past 6 months, WFP reached over 42,000 schoolchildren across 180 schools with onsite meals from locally produced food commodities such as rice, palm oil, garri, and cow peas. In addition, 3000 vulnerable families of school children also receive monthly cash assistance through a take-home ration. Additionally, under the WFP resilience programme, about 4000 vulnerable smallholder farmers have received cash assistance with a transfer value of $45 to support them in improving their food and nutritious status. These smallholder farmers are engaged in asset-creation activities such as the development/rehabilitation of low land for rice and vegetable production. They also receive marketable skill training to diversify their livelihood.