Coalition Building In The Liberian Cocoa And Rice Sectors

Generated Summary

This case study, commissioned by the Food System Economics Commission (FSEC), examines the National Cocoa Public-Private Partnership Platform (NC3P platform) in Liberia. The study employs a three-phase methodology including desk research, interviews, and on-site visits to analyze coalition-building initiatives within the agricultural sector. The primary objective is to identify and document lessons from the NC3P platform’s successes, evaluating its significance among stakeholders aiming to transform Liberia’s food system. The study considers environmental sustainability and profitability, offering recommendations for similar coalition-building approaches to mitigate challenges in other agricultural domains. The NC3P platform, a multi-actor coalition, aims to guide development and private sector interventions in Liberia’s cocoa sector, focusing on improved coordination and a strategic action plan. This platform, developed by IDH, was a key objective of the Liberia Cocoa Improvement Programme (LICSIP). The study explores the platform’s role in preventing sector nationalization, ensuring competitiveness, and facilitating open communication, contributing to the principles of good governance and fostering sector development.

Key Findings & Statistics

• Liberia’s forest area is estimated to be 69% of the total land area (FAO, n.d.).
• From 2002 to 2020, the total area of humid primary forest in Liberia decreased by 5.9% (Source: Global Forest Watch).
• Total Population 4.8 million (LISGIS, 2011).
• Urban population (% of total population): 48% (LISGIS, 2016).
• Rural population (% of total population) 52% (LISGIS, 2016).
• Population growth rate 2.43% (LISGIS, 2011).
• GDP: USD 2.5 billion (FAO, n.d.).
• GDP per capita (current 20xx USD): 2,097 (FAO, n.d.).
• Gini Index: 0.320 (FAO, n.d.).
• Poverty head count ratio at national poverty lines (51%) (LISGIS, 2016).
• Vulnerable and informal employment rates 74.2% and 67.9% nationally. (LISGIS, 2016).
• Employment in agriculture 45.81% (LISGIS, 2011).
• Food Consumer Price Index 225.9 (FAOSTAT, 2016).
• Stunting children under 5 years 30% (FAOSTAT, 2016).
• Prevalence of under-nourishment 37.5% (FAOSTAT, 2016).
• Prevalence of obesity in adults 18 years and above 14.2% (FAOSTAT, 2016).
• Average area of rice (staple) cultivated 0.85 ha: average yield of 1.26 MT/HA (LISGIS, 2011).
• Value added per worker in agriculture, forestry, and fishing 1,023 (FAOSTAT, 2016).
• Liberia’s cocoa sector has an estimated 30,000 smallholder cocoa farmers.
• Liberia smallholder cocoa farms yield 200 kg of cocoa per hectare.
• It is estimated that 30% of cocoa exported from Liberia is procured from neighboring countries, like Cote D’Ivoire.
• Farmers receive 32% while traders receive 60% of the cocoa value.
• Of people employed in Liberia’s agriculture sector 12.6% of them are employed in Liberia’s cocoa sector.

Other Important Findings

• The NC3P platform’s activities are guided by a governance structure including a Steering Committee, General Assembly, Technical Committees, and a Secretariat.
• The Steering Committee consists of high-level representatives from public, private, and civil society organizations.
• The platform has a mandate to employ a participatory and inclusive approach in the development, coordination, and monitoring of a sector roadmap strategy.
• Key activities of the platform include facilitating information sharing, enhancing alignment, offering implementation guidance, supporting policy and regulation development, and enabling accountability.
• The NC3P platform has helped members achieve several objectives, including improved sector coordination, better alignment with sector needs, providing input to a shared strategic sector development plan, and facilitating open communication.
• The platform played a key role in preventing sector nationalization, which could have harmed pro-poor and environmentally sustainable goals.
• The NC3P platform has three pathways: Sustainable Production & Quality Control, Investments & Cocoa Marketing, and Environment & Climate Change.
• The platform is also working on initiatives to provide Liberian cocoa smallholder farmers with a Living Income.
• The platform has contributed to progress in Environmental Sustainability by helping MoA and LACRA to better understand and prioritize tackling issues around deforestation.
• Many interviewees mentioned their disappointment that the platform avoided discussions around access to finance issues.
• The NC3P cocoa sector platform is inspired by the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI), but there are some significant differences in mandate.
• The Liberia Rice Sector Platform (LRSP) is proposed to address the constraints in Liberia’s rice value chain by using a similar platform approach.

Limitations Noted in the Document

• The platform rollout and launch activities took a long time, which was understandable considering the nationalization attempt and the COVID 19 pandemic.
• Lower than expected participation from the private sector companies (cocoa exporters specifically).
• Both a lack of discussions on the access to finance constraints faced by private sector actors and a lack of access to finance related interventions in the sector development roadmap strategy document.
• Failure to mobilize funding resources for GoL entities, LACRA and MOA, specifically.
• Lack of secured funding for NC3P platform activities following the project funded by the EU and implemented by Solidaridad.
• Securing serious (formalized) funding commitments for the implementation of activities on the sector development strategy roadmap.
• Some interviewees found the procedural approach of the NC3P platform unfavorable.

Conclusion

The NC3P platform in Liberia, through its participatory and inclusive approach, has shown potential in addressing challenges within the cocoa sector. The platform’s success in preventing sector nationalization and fostering sector coordination highlights the value of multi-actor coalitions in agricultural development. However, the study also reveals that the platform is still in its early stages, and further efforts are needed to fully realize its objectives, particularly in improving the lives of smallholder farmers. The platform has also demonstrated the capacity to bring together diverse actors to address complex challenges, and its approach is seen as a model for other sectors, particularly the rice sector. The LRSP can be designed to address the constraints in Liberia’s rice value chain. The lessons learned from the NC3P platform, such as the importance of a strong secretariat, continuous engagement, trust-building, inclusive decision-making, and a focus on the coalition’s mandate, are crucial for the success of any similar initiative. The platform’s ability to convene stakeholders and facilitate dialogues, as seen in the nationalization issue, underscores its role as a conflict mediator and its impact on shaping policy and regulations. The study emphasizes the need for sustained financial support, collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Agricultural Research Institute, and the application of lessons learned from the cocoa sector to ensure the effectiveness of the LRSP and other initiatives. The emphasis on the involvement of key sector actors, particularly the private sector, and the focus on addressing issues like access to finance, are essential for the platform’s success. Ultimately, the success of these platforms hinges on their ability to foster collaboration, facilitate knowledge sharing, and drive meaningful changes to improve the livelihoods of farmers and promote sustainable agricultural practices in Liberia. The study’s insights offer guidance for the design and implementation of similar platforms, emphasizing the need for a clear vision, strong leadership, and a commitment to the core objectives.