Distinguished representatives from ministries and agencies, development partners, Academies and Research Institutes, NGOs and the media; Ladies and gentlemen:

A very good morning to you all!

I am pleased to make these remarks at today’s launch of the Good Growth Partnership. I would like to thank the Ministry of Agriculture and the GGP team for organizing this event. It gives me great pleasure to be here today at the official launch of this very important project and initiative for Liberia,- the Good Growth Partnership. This launch is, indeed timely, as it comes on the heels of the recently celebrated World Environment Day which was celebrated two weeks ago on June 5. It also comes at a time when Liberia is articulating its development strategy and pathway for the next five (5) years.

The agriculture sector is expected to contribute meaningfully to the priorities of poverty reduction, food security, employment, increased personal income and foreign exchange. Unfortunately, the contribution of agriculture to national economic growth and development has been limited over recent years by structural constraints, inadequate policies etc. Agriculture including the oil palm sector continues to be a mainstay and is of vital importance for Liberia.

Given the strong relationship between growth in agricultural productivity and poverty reduction, future efforts in Liberia need to focus on productivity enhancing measures with a pro-poor focus that increase incomes.

The Good Growth Partnership financed by the Global Environment Facility’s Integrated Approach Project targets reducing deforestation through the supply chain approach. This project aimed to promote collective action for change through National Oil Palm Strategy & Action Plan and road map to guide investments and activities and delivers multi-sector coordinated action for sustainable oil palm production.

UNDP believes that this Project will provide systemic solutions through interventions such as (the root cause analysis study); promotion of a multi-stakeholder platform (a low cost operating structure that seeks synergy with government priorities, highlights national benefits and builds broad consensus) and foster national leadership.

The oil palm sector is projected to generate about 156,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2030. The demand for oil palm on the global market is huge.

Sustainable Oil Palm production and development is therefore as much related to food consumption patterns and lifestyles of the Liberian people. There is need for strong partnership which draws on a wide range of stakeholders, not just in agriculture, but in health, nutrition, education, trade and social policy. To this end Conservation International is working closely with the UNDP in demonstration of important partnerships.

This launch is therefore, a step in the right direction. It has brought together the main stakeholders in the agricultural sector as well as in finance, trade, the private sector and civil society to work together to further the development of the National Oil Palm Strategy and Action Plan. It responds to the mandate of the Government of Liberia and HE President Weah in their call for food security and sustainable development as one of the main pillars of the national Programme for development and for Agriculture, as well as the goals of the Agriculture Development Strategy.
It is important to note that the GGP acts as a complement to the suite of support being provided by the SET pillar.

It also builds on the many initiatives that Liberia has taken in the area of Oil Palm sustainable production in Liberia. This project will help to among other things formulate the priorities for the oil palm sector through the National Oil Palm Strategy and Action Plan. These include:

In the words of Catherine Pulsifer, “Rather than thinking "if and when", start doing, take action, stop talking about if and when” UNDP stands willing to assist and work with our partners to make a difference.

I wish you well in your deliberations and a successful launch.