Liberian Food Safety Initiative - Enhancing food safety practices and compliance across selected value chains

More than ever food security, food supply shortages, related distribution challenges and required transformation of food systems towards enhanced resilience and sustainability are on the spotlight of the global development agenda. Due to the global poly-crisis that the world is facing – the COVID-19…See More

Objectives

The overall objective of this project is boosting trade in and safe consumption of locally-produced food by enhancing food safety practices and compliance along selected value chains (i.e. rice, fish, cassava, cocoa & coffee7). The specific project objectives are in line with the expected project outcomes and can be described as follows: 1) Enhanced efficiency of the national food control system based on an upgrade of the country’s regulatory framework and its food standard-setting functions, including through reinforcement with a voluntary national third-party food safety assurance programme. Interventions at macro-level address mainly deficiencies in regard to the country’s standard-setting practices, its regulatory framework and the overall performance of Liberia’s food control system. They aim to enhance the national market surveillance system and its enforcement mechanism by establishing a coordinated risk-based inspection approach that is applied systematically. Furthermore, the project responds to the need to strengthen public-private dialogue and collaboration among all relevant actors. In this regard, the Liberian Task Force on Food Safety (LTFFS) will be established, with a particular focus on assuring the engagement of relevant private sector representatives and encouraging their active and voluntary contributions to the enhancement of the overall performance of the national food system. 2) In line with the requirements of a voluntary national third-party food safety assurance scheme, the enabling institutional environment of Liberia`s food system is conducive to boost the competitiveness of primary producers and processors and to enhance overall consumer protection along the selected value and supply chains. Aiming at further strengthening the required enabling institutional environment, the meso-level interventions of the LiFSI are focusing on developing a voluntary national 3rd party food safety assurance (vTPA) scheme which is based on internationally existing basic food safety/hygiene principles and guidelines. Responding to the needs of the supported value chains, and the developed scheme in specific, national food testing laboratories and certification bodies will be upgraded towards accreditation. Additionally, the meso-level component of the project aims to strengthen the overall educational system at the university and vocational training centre level by introducing and/or upgrading existing food safety-related curricula. This will ensure the availability of a technically skilled workforce which is essential for advancing the country’s food safety agenda in both the medium and long-term. 3) Primary producers, processors and other relevant value chain actors actively pursue compliance with the developed voluntary national 3rd party food safety scheme, or even advanced market requirements, and hence benefit from increased competitiveness and market connectivity, and overall advanced national food safety culture leading to enhanced demand for and supply of safe food in Liberia. The third component of the project is focusing on micro-level interventions and is addressing the need to enhance the implementation of safe food production practices by primary producers, processors, cooperatives and other relevant value chain actors. By supporting them to conform with the requirements of the developed national food safety scheme, with the ultimate goal of getting certified and hence recognized on the market for their performance upgrade, they will benefit from increased market access and integration. Additionally, interventions at this level aim to foster the overall food safety culture in the country, engaging all relevant stakeholders, including consumers and food business operators. In applying a demand-driven approach, increased awareness on the importance of food safety as well as knowledge on safe food handling practices and associated risks, will be essential to stimulate increased demand for, consumption and supply of safe, locally produced food in Liberia.

Deliverables

The project is envisioned to achieve the following results: Output 1.1: Recommendations towards enhanced food safety regulatory oversight submitted for the selected value chains in the form of an actionable upgrading roadmap to all concerned Ministries, Authorities and Committees for endorsement and implementation. Output 1.2: Strengthened regulatory framework and operations, in particular in regard to food risk-based inspection services being rendered in the country, and enhanced food standard-setting functions as relevant for the selected value chains. Output 2.1: Based on relevant CODEX standards (e.g. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Principles), a basic, modular and voluntary national third-party food safety assurance scheme is developed, along with customised add-ons for the selected value chains and local ownership secured. Output 2.2: National food safety-related testing and certification services strengthened along the selected value chains towards an efficient implementation of the developed voluntary national 3rd party food safety assurance scheme, and in line with international standard requirements. Output 2.3: The educational system in the country has been strengthened and upgraded as to facilitate in the long-term national capacity-building in the area of food safety in general, and in particular addressing the need for qualified food safety practitioners, capacitated to efficiently implement the developed scheme. Output 3.1: Primary producers, processors and relevant value chain actors upgraded towards compliance with the voluntary national 3rd party food safety assurance scheme, or advanced market requirements, as per clearly identified market needs and potentials. Output 3.2: Enhanced food safety culture and increased awareness on safe food handling practices by consumers, primary producers, food and agri-businesses and national marketplace actors (i.e. restaurants, retailers, markets, street food sellers, hotels, etc.).

National Development Plan Alignment

The Liberian Food Safety Initiative (LiFSI) is fully in line with Liberia’s National Development Plan (2025-2029), the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), particularly within the context of Liberia’s agricultural and economic transformation objectives. One of the core goals of the ARREST Agenda is to foster a diversified, inclusive, and resilient economy, with a focus on sustainable growth and private sector development. LiFSI plays a crucial role in this by improving food safety standards, enhancing agricultural productivity, and facilitating greater value addition to food products, which is directly in line with the ARREST Agenda's aim to reduce dependence on food imports and ensure food security. By strengthening food safety infrastructure and ensuring compliance with international standards, the project will support Liberia’s agricultural sector to become more competitive, both domestically and in international markets, ultimately contributing to increased productivity and job creation in the food production value chain. The project is also fully aligned to the National Agricultural Development Plan (2024-2030) and the National Action Plan for Health Security 2024-2029 .