ALM UNDP

Summary:

In February 2009 the GEF approved the PIF for project “Enhancing Resilience of vulnerable coastal areas to climate change risks in Liberia”. This was the first project under the Liberia National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to be approved by the GEF. The CEO Endorsement for “Enhancing Resilience of vulnerable coastal areas to climate change risks in Liberia” was submitted to GEF for approval in February 2010. Although that project was initially the third highest NAPA priority, it was submitted first to the LDCF for support due to the recent increases in the threat of sea level rise.

Consistent with LDCF GEF/C.28/18, May 12, 2006, the Government of Liberia sought LDCF funding for a Full-Sized Project to implement another priority project identified in its NAPA (NAPA was submitted to UNFCCC in May 2008). Specifically, LDCF resources will be used to enhance the resilience of the population to climate change impacts on agriculture and food production.

Liberia is in a period of transition after years of conflict and humanitarian emergencies. It is now moving through recovery and to development. The democratic process has started to take root and has been shown to work. Under the leadership of the government, Liberians are experiencing peace and a long-sought hope of a better future for themselves and their families.

Despite substantial recovery efforts, the country remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with a per capita GDP of only US$362 (PPP) in 20091. Its Human Development Index in 2009 was 0.442, placing it 169th out of 182 countries. Poverty incidence is high, with 68 percent of the rural population and 55 percent of the urban population living on less than one US dollar per day, and children and the elderly the largest groups living in poverty2. Moreover, 56 percent of the rural and 29 percent of the urban population fall below the extreme poverty line, meaning they are not able to meet the costs of food-needs based on a food basket providing 2,400 kcal per person per day.

Liberia‟s principal vision for growth is set out in the Poverty Reduction Strategy, 2008 – 2011 (PRS). Given the strategic importance of the agricultural sector, notably that approximately 70% of the population depend on agriculture for a livelihood, and the fact that agricultural development can have immediate impacts on the economy, the PRS seeks “to revitalize the food and agricultural sector to contribute to shared, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and development, provide food and nutritional security, increase employment and incomes, and measurably reduce poverty.” For example, two key pillars of the PRS are Pillar 2: Revitalizing the Economy and Pillar 4: Basic Infrastructure and Social Services. Concerned immediate goals are: (1) making strategic farm inputs and services accessible, affordable and available to 125,000 farming families, (2) increasing rice, cassava and vegetable production by 30% over the 2007 baseline level by expanding land under cultivation, and (3) strengthening the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders.

In addition to non-climate related pressures, climate change is already impacting agriculture and farming in Liberia. For example, it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify the optimal time to plant crops. This results in lower yields and increases the vulnerability of farmers. In many regions, reduced soil moisture is also considered to be a factor in sub-optimal cereal yields. Rainfall changes and temperature increases have also resulted in more pests, weeds, animal diseases3. Increased flooding and increased salinity in coastal regions are also climate change factors that can undermine agricultural development.

In the future, climate change is expected to lead to increased changes in rainfall patterns, shorter and more intensive rainy seasons, longer dry seasons, and increased temperatures year-round. Increased flood damage is also forecasted. As a result, the forecasted climate change may undermine national efforts to revitalize the agriculture sector and to increase food production. This is a direct threat to agricultural production and food security, and in turn a threat to development, peace and stability.

In order to respond to the greatest and most immediate threats of climate change, the government of Liberia undertook a process to prepare a National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA). Through a participatory and consultative process, the NAPA identified the three most urgent priority interventions. The first of these was to enhance resilience to increasing rainfall variability through the diversification of crop cultivation and small ruminants rearing.

The agriculture sector, and ensure that adaptation to climate change is integrated into the revitalization process. Specific contributions toward the reduction of vulnerabilities to climate change will be achieved through the pursuit of specific outcomes including: (a) integrating concerns into relevant policies and planning processes at the state and national levels; (b) comprehensive capacity development for individuals in national agencies focusing on agriculture and in pilot counties, and farmers; (c) demonstration of risk reduction strategies and measures at pilot sites; (d) strengthening technical capacity to integrate climate change risk management into farmer level agricultural capacity; and (e) capturing and disseminating lessons learned to key stakeholders.

Expected adaptation benefits include strengthening of technical capacities in key sectors. This will notably be with respect to agricultural planning and agricultural practices in poor communities in Liberia. Other benefits will include the development of social and organizational capacity and general awareness about the adverse impact of climate change.

The project will also promote a programmatic approach to adaptation planning among various stakeholders, development partners and donors, and facilitate the mainstreaming of climate risk reduction into agricultural planning frameworks, policies and programmes in Liberia. Several agriculture-based communities will have adapted to climate change. In the face of climate change and Liberia‟s subsequent adaptation to its adverse impacts, the project will also support future up-scaling and replication.

_Source: Enhancing Resilience to Climate Change by Mainstreaming Adaption Concerns into Agricultural Sector Development in Liberia, Project Identification Form, 2010._