Protecting Forests, Enhancing Livelihoods through Sustainable Agriculture
Summary
Liberia benefits from a nationwide movement providing for the sustainable and beneficial use of its forest resources, among the most treasured in Africa. In the past, “blood timber” helped fuel the country’s long-running communal discord, but now forest and other natural resources are playing an important role in recovery, community stability, and economic growth. To build on previous investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007-2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011-2012), USAID contracted Tetra Tech ARD in May 2012 to implement the five-year People, Rules, and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER) project. ACDI/VOCA managed the third objective of the project, “Livelihood and Enterprise Development,” by enhancing livelihoods through improved agriculture and sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products.
Objectives
- Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance
- Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas
- Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas
Activities and Approaches
- Increase the number of sustainable agro/forest-based enterprises by supporting the harvest of sustainable non-timber forest products, assisting the development of wood-based enterprises, and fostering cassava-processing and oil palm-based enterprises
- Reduce threats to biodiversity linked to livelihood activities by increasing awareness of shifting cultivation and educating about the benefits of community forests through farmer field schools, supporting planting and rehabilitation of cocoa crops, promoting crop diversification activities, and raising awareness of bushmeat alternatives
Anticipated/Achieved Results
- Improved household income of 329 individuals through sustainable natural resource management and conservation activities
- Supported the formation of eight new agribusiness/forestry enterprises that support cassava and oil palm processing
- Increased awareness of good agricultural practices, best planting techniques, nursery preparation, and transplanting for over 350 farmers
- Disseminated five extension publications through the Agriculture Coordinating Committee and other national and local bodies to interested stakeholders
Funder: USAID
Contact: Luke Iott, LIott@acdivoca.org
