About the Project:
The Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP), under the National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority, was approved on September 21, 2021, by the World Bank Board of Directors and officially became effective on December 22, 2021, following up on a Project Preparatory Activity (PPA) Phase from January 2019 to December 2021 with the Development Objective to improve fisheries management and enhance livelihood and income for government and targeted beneficiaries.
It further supports activities aimed at increasing the national value addition provided by the fisheries sector, such as the establishment of industrial and artisanal fish landing sites at the Mesurado Pier, Monrovia, toward improving conditions for industrial fish landing and for export of high-value fish species and fish products and supporting marine sustainable fisheries production.
The project design is based on a holistic and integrated approach focusing on delivery of 5 main components:
- Improving of management and governance of fisheries;
- Improving fisheries value-addition of fish and fish products;
- Support to aquaculture;
- Project management; and
- Contingent emergency response component, which would be triggered and applied to provide swift response in event of an of an eligible crisis or emergency.
The institutional arrangement for the implementation of the project comprise two layers: a Project Steering Committee (PSC) for overall strategic oversight; and a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for implementation of the project. The PSC layer is further strengthened by a project subcommittee called the Project Technical Committee (PTC) for operational purposes, as a forum and layer for all component leads to track, assess, and coordinate implementation of project activities. The FAO, the EU, the Government of Iceland and scientific and technical partners, in conjunction with field support agencies and others, are important and essential collaborators of the project.
The sites of project intervention include: The industrial fishing landing Port at the Mesurado pier area, (Monteserrado County), the Klay Hatchery (Bomi County), the artisanal fish landing sites and offices for Community Based Management Committee/Liberia Artisanal Fishermen Association, in Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Grand Kru and Maryland Counties. In addition, a Forward Operating Base in Greenville (Sinoe County) and the Harper Coastal Surveillance Station in Maryland County are sites of interest.
The beneficiaries of the project comprise an extensive fishing community of over 11,000 fishers using some 3,300 canoes which directly support around 56,000 people, including small-scale fishers and fish processors and sellers with an estimated 33,000 people. The project is national in scope, but its maritime fisheries support focuses on coastal counties.
The LSMFP is comprised of four main components: Component 1: Improving management and governance of fisheries, Component 2: Improving value-addition of fish and fish products, Component 3: Support to Aquaculture Development, and Component 4: Project Management.
Component 1: Improving management and governance of fisheries:
This component supports the improvement of governance and management reforms; developing human and institutional capacity; improving policies, strategies, and institutional and legal frameworks to make them climate smart. It also targets other relevant activities that geared towards improving fisheries management, marine and environmental health and resilience to climate change.
Subcomponent 1.1. Institutional strengthening and capacity building
This sub-component will support activities that supports the improvement of legislative regimes, strengthen and equip national and sub-national fisheries institutions with capacity to sustainably manage the fisheries resources, raise awareness on climate adaptation and resilience, empowering beneficiaries to be informed and integrated into the decision-making processes – especially females through information dissemination, training and skills upgrading.
Subcomponent 1.2. Support to management of information on fisheries and aquaculture:
This sub-component focuses on the development, establishment, and roll-out of a fisheries management and information system; scaling up the use of technology – including coastal surveillance stations and the establishment of a national database on aquaculture.
Sub-component 1.3. Improving management of marine fisheries and aquaculture:
This component includes raising awareness of adapting climate-smart practices and emphasizing the benefits of these practices in creating sustainable livelihood. Preparing and implementing climate-smart Financial Management Plans (FMPs) including carrying out a series of fish stock assessments in the Liberian coastal waters.
In addition, this component shall also support the collection and analysis of baseline data on inland fisheries and the establishment of data collection schemes to facilitate stock enhancement of inland waters for maintaining native stock and increase fish production including investing in early warning system to prevent disease and climate disasters.
Sub-component 1.4. Support to community-led fisheries management
Under this pillar, the project plans to empower fishing communities with the capacity to better manage local fishery resources and become active participants, including women, in decision-making and the process of inclusive and sustainable development of the fisheries sector.
Component 2: Improving value-addition of fish and fish products:
The fishery sector in Liberia does not realize the value of fish caught by either industrial or artisanal sectors. Industrial fisheries yield only limited license fees and some landings of low-quality fish to local markets, while the artisanal fishing communities have poor quality wooded dugout canoes, do not use ice, and most have no road network to connect to markets. While fish production could be significantly increased to reduce the imports on which the urban centers depend, landing sites and associated infrastructural facilities need to be upgraded to improve fish quality and provide higher-value marketing in future.
Sub-component 2.1. Strengthening national post-harvest value systems:
The sub-component will (a) finance the construction of a fishing port at the Mesurado Pier that would involve the extension of the fish landing quay and the associated dredging works & removal of wrecks, and which is expected to be economically and financially viable, technically feasible, and environmentally sustainable, including climate resilient, energy and resource efficient. The construction of the fishing port would include, shore facilities for fish auction, a landing quay, a central fish market, a processing area and provision of required utilities for private sector investment in ice production and solar chill storage.
(b) support the construction of an artisanal landing site at the Mesurado Pier which will be climate resilient—able to withstand storms, increase in sea level, and provide facilities for adjacent communities affected by climate change induced erosion of current landing sites. The artisanal fish landing site will be equipped with landing facilities, solid and liquid waste disposal, solar coolers, clean water supply and areas for private sector investment in post-harvest processing facilities (such as chill rooms, ice making, using renewable energy sources); fish market facilities; store facilities for the sale of vessel engines and fishing gear; engine repair shops; refueling station; toilets; and water facilities to improve the quality of landings, and the natural fish supply.
Sub-component 2.2. Support focused on women entrepreneurs:
Post-harvest losses have significant nutritional, health, and financial impacts that disproportionately affect women. Women face post-harvest losses due to factors such as lack of access to appropriate technology, preservation tools, storage facilities, etc. The nature of women’s businesses (informal and small) in the fisheries or related sector makes women-owned businesses less attractive to commercial banks.
The sub-component will not only provide financial support to women-owned businesses but also provide a mix of soft and hard skills training such as supporting informal businesses with formal registrations, negotiation skills, leadership training, innovative initiatives that contribute to reduced post-harvest loss digital technologies, etc. to ensure their businesses can generate profits and remain sustainable.
Component 3: Support to Aquaculture Development
This component focuses on financing and revamping of one of the government-run hatcheries (The Klay Hatchery). The common goal of the hatchery is to address the challenges mentioned and contribute to enhancing fish production for the promotion of food security.
Sub-component 3.1: Hatchery support and strengthening of extension and advisory services:
This subcomponent will support the development and rehabilitation of the Klay hatchery as a suitable fish hatchery model and aquaculture research center equipped with a standard laboratory for conducting research on fish feed, fingerling production, testing water quality, and fish disease. The common goal of the hatchery is to address the challenges of poor-quality fingerlings, feed and advisory, and contribute to enhancing fish production for the promotion of food security.
Sub-component 3.2. Deepening the engagement of private sector in aquaculture
The project will finance activities aimed at identifying and enhancing opportunities for private sector engagement and creating a viable public-private partnership that ranges from contract-based service provision to full privatization to harness the development potential of the Liberia aquaculture sector.
Subcomponent 3.3: Promoting climate smart technology in aquaculture for enhanced productivity
This sub-component will build on the experience of the existing project in rice fish integration to implement rice prawn farming systems and supports the production of freshwater prawn in the wild is seasonal, mainly occurring during the rainy season. Prawns are a delicacy in Liberia and there is a market throughout the year.
This sub-component shall also support the adoption of cage farming among smallholder fish farmers through the setup of pilot cage farming sites and extension services. Cage farming holds huge potential for enhancing aquaculture production and Liberia has a conducive environment to promote the development of cage farming.
Component 4: Project Management
This focuses on the implementation, management, coordination, and oversight of the proposed project, including establishing and implementing a simple and smart monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system where a climate risk screen tool will be integrated throughout project implementation to identify risks, communication, awareness, and training of the implementing entities on applying the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF)/Environmental and Social Standards (ESS), World Bank Group, Environmental, Social, Health, and Safety. Guidelines and Good International Industry Practice.