The value chain for:

Strengths

Weaknesses

Cereals (especially rice)

There are two types—upland and lowland. Most farmers cultivate upland. There is a strong farming awareness of rice and some potential for growth in this area. Demand is high as rice is a staple crop of Liberia.

Processing is by hand, production mainly for home consumption and little opportunity for surplus as imports (from China and U.S.A.) are readily available (even if expensive). The number of harvests achieved per year is low-currently it is estimated that only one crop per year is achieved when in fact, this should be at least Doubled. Productivity per hectare is also too low, at about 25% that achieved outside Liberia. It is currently about 1 M.T./ha. (Based on several interviews with rice/paddy farmers and verified by the national consultant on food crops.)

Root crops (the main crop considered as cassava)

As with rice production, cassava growing is popular and meets some food security needs and some cash production needs. The value-adding potential exists by converting the commodity, possibly into bio-fuel or other products such as starch. Low technology would be a possibility for

Meeting local market demand.

Industrialization of cassava production and postharvest value-adding is limited and would require Investment in hardware, training, and promotion.

Production losses are high from pests and plant diseases.

Vegetables (the main

crops possibly are items such as bitter ball and peppers, but it

is difficult to be sure because of the limited variety in markets)

A market exists for several vegetables although items such as tomatoes and cucumbers, for example, We’re not seen at points of sale. Half of the vegetable production is for sale in markets, while the other half is for Home consumption. The markets are more likely to be urban centres.

There is the potential to focus on the vegetable garden and production systems led by women.

Almost no value-adding is and was observed. Some vegetable leaves were cut for the consumer at the Point of sale. Generally poor handling, storage

and packaging caused a significant postharvest loss.