The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is providing technical support to Liberia to improve agricultural data collection and address gaps, particularly in hard-to-reach areas affected by adverse weather or poor infrastructure. Reliable agricultural data is essential for informed policymaking, sustainable development, and monitoring progress on key initiatives.
In Liberia, challenging road conditions often hamper survey efforts, with teams forced to abandon vehicles and travel on foot to reach remote farming communities. Farmers sometimes struggle to trust the process or quantify their production accurately. Farmer Suzana Tarway shared her initial skepticism but expressed satisfaction after understanding the survey’s purpose.
To enhance data collection, FAO has introduced advanced methodologies such as crop-cutting techniques, which provide objective and reliable estimates of agricultural yields. Senior Statistician Yakob Seid explained that this approach measures wet and dry weights of harvested crops directly from the fields, offering more precise data.
Liberia’s partnership with FAO is part of the global 50×2030 Initiative, a $500 million effort to transform agricultural data systems in 50 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America by 2030. Currently assisting 31 nations, the initiative aims to address food insecurity, climate resilience, rural livelihoods, and poverty reduction.
FAO Representative in Liberia, Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya, emphasized the critical role of reliable data in securing international funding and empowering local communities by aligning interventions with their development needs. José Rosero Moncayo, Director of FAO Statistics Division, highlighted that good data is vital for effective policy implementation and monitoring, contributing to global goals such as eradicating hunger and poverty.
The 50×2030 Initiative—a collaboration between the World Bank, FAO, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)—seeks to promote data-driven agriculture, ensuring governments can better address food crises and climate vulnerabilities.
