CAFOD and Caritas Liberia (CDOM) have been supporting cassava cultivation in Bomi County since 2021. In 2022, CAFOD Liberia and Sierra Leone and partner staff underwent training in Freetown on the Market Systems Development approach. In 2023, a joint field study was conducted, and the project was developed and implemented by Caritas Liberia (CDOM) and CAFOD. André Vording of Fair and Sustainable Consulting was contracted as a back stopper in 2024, helping develop a Theory of Change, defining indicators of change, designing baselines, and backstopping strategies.
The project has evolved significantly since adopting the MSD approach, whilst also incorporating the agro-ecological approach of CAFOD. The project still targets the farmers, but works at a level higher with cooperatives, input providers, cassava processors, and government agencies. Interventions include training of trainers training, developing access to tools and inputs through the cooperatives, and facilitating sales to processors. Over the past year these interventions have become more MSD compliant.
Visible changes will be realized first on partner level (improvement of the capacities and performance of the cooperatives and processors) and subsequently on target group level (the cassava farmers producing and selling more). In this way the cassava sector in Bomi County will be ready to continue sustainable growth after the project ends.
