This strategic document proposes aligning the Village Access Roads (VAR) intervention with the GROW-2 Liberia project aimed at enhancing agrarian livelihoods. By integrating road construction and agricultural capacity-building efforts, the collaboration can boost agricultural productivity, improve market access, and significantly increase incomes in Liberia's rural communities.

Summary:

This strategic document explores the potential for aligning the Village Access Roads (VAR) intervention and the GROW-2 Liberia project. Funded by SIDA, VARs aim to enhance rural livelihoods in Liberia by constructing over 200km of narrow roads in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties, improving access to markets, schools, and hospitals. A 2016/18 evaluation of a pilot project highlighted the socio-economic benefits of such an intervention, including a shift towards cash crop farming. However, increased agricultural activities did not always equate to higher productivity. To address this, a partnership with GROW-2, also funded by SIDA, which provides agricultural capacity building, is proposed. This collaboration aims to optimize the agricultural impact of improved road access by integrating GROW-2's training and capacity-building programmes into the VAR project. The document details a revised footpath selection methodology to ensure agricultural potential is prioritized and outlines collaborative strategies for community-based organizations (CBOs) to enhance agricultural productivity and sustain road maintenance. This alignment is expected to significantly boost rural incomes and contribute to Liberia's GDP. The document concludes with recommendations for implementing the collaboration, emphasizing the need for joint efforts in footpath selection, capacity building, and agribusiness development to achieve the desired impact on rural livelihoods.