Liberia: Thematic Group reviews its activities from 2002

The Liberian Network on Rural Development and Food Security met four times in 2002 to discuss policy issues and make decisions on the operation and management of the Network. The Network is composed of government ministries and agencies, UN agencies, legislators, donor agencies, national and international NGOs, civil society organizations, academic institutions, media institutions and interested individuals and community based organizations. It comprises of a Secretariat and a General Meeting chaired by FAO Representative and Co-chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and has two sub thematic groups - 1) Food Security and Nutrition and 2) Women in Rural Development, which report to the General meeting. The two thematic groups meet on a monthly basis to discuss plans, activities and the way forward of their respective groups.

In 2002, the Liberian Network on Rural Development and Food Security, accomplished the following:

• three editions of the Liberian Network on Rural development and Food Security (LNRDFS) newsletter, which were distributed among various development partners;
• food security and nutrition messages in the electronic media. These radio messages were designed to ascertain how indigenous knowledge and experiences, ways of best practices of nutrition and food security can be communicated or disseminated among the population;
• a workshop on soybean growth and utilization as well as snail farming in collaboration with the thematic group on Food Security and Nutrition, and the Women and Children Development Organization (WOCHIDO);
• media coverage of the World Food Day 2002 under the theme, Water: Source of Food Security. The Minister of Agriculture, FAO Resident Representative in Liberia, and a Water Management Specialist took part in the discussions;
• with the Thematic Group on Women in Rural Development, a workshop on soap production as a mechanism for income generation for internally displaced persons;
• activities related to awareness on food and nutrition among the youth and the general public.


For more information please contact the FAO representative in Liberia: FAO-LBR@field.fao.org.