Main season harvests maintain income and food availability across Liberia

Rice production levels are projected to be slightly below average during the 2016/17 agricultural year. Ministry of Agriculture reports suggest that dry conditions during upland planting in the northern, western and central areas, and localized flooding in the south-eastern areas affected yields. Despite this deficit, normal imported rice levels as well as plenty of cassava, and vegetable harvests will allow households to maintain normal food consumption and be in Minimal (IPC phase 1) acute food insecurity through January 2017.

Food access and purchasing power for poor households will likely be maintained through labor wages from farm rehabilitation and land preparations which have started for both the current off-season cropping and main season cultivation during 2017/18 agricultural year.  Additional incomes and food sources will include charcoal and palm oil sales in the upcoming the dry season, and the ongoing rice harvests through January/February 2017. 

Some poor rubber tappers and iron ore mine workers who have lost jobs and have diminished purchasing power due to atypically low international prices of these commodities, continue to face difficulties in accessing basic requirements. Pockets of these poor households across the country will be unable to maintain non-food needs and are expected to be in Stress (IPC phase 2) acute food insecurity through January 2017.