Project Summary

Boosting Biodiversity Conservation and Improving Livelihoods of Forest-Fringe and Forest-Dependent Communities in Liberia.

Funded by the Government of Sweden, the Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) project aims to enhance the management of community forests and protected areas in Liberia. It focuses on strengthening governance structures, building institutional capacity, empowering civil society and producer organizations, promoting integrated natural resource management, and supporting sustainable livelihood initiatives for forest-fringe communities.

The project aligns with Liberia’s National Forestry Policy and Implementation Plan and the National Forest Reform Law, contributing to sustainable forest management, conservation, and development. It also supports poverty alleviation through optimized benefits from the forestry sector.

Implementation Partners:
The project is jointly implemented by UNDP and FAO, in partnership with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA). It collaborates with a broad network of stakeholders including NGOs, CSOs, private sector actors, and Forest and Farm Producer Organizations (FFPOs).

Objectives

The CFPM project supports the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration by:

• Generating and sharing best practices in forest management and landscape restoration.
• Developing innovative financing mechanisms to unlock forest value chains.
• Raising public awareness on forest ecosystem restoration.
• Building technical capacity of institutions to lead restoration efforts.

These objectives are consistent with Sweden’s Development Cooperation Strategy with Liberia (2021–2025), Liberia’s Nationally Determined Contributions under the UNFCCC, the National Biodiversity Action Plan, and the Community Rights Law. They also reflect commitments made by both countries at UNFCCC COP26.

Project Components

1. Policy and Institutional Strengthening
   Enhancing governance frameworks and institutional capacity for forest management.
2. Community-Based Management of Protected Areas (PAs)
   Promoting inclusive and effective management of PAs and integrated natural resource landscapes.
3. Sustainable Livelihoods and Value Chains
   Supporting climate-resilient, low-emission land use and non-timber forest product value chains.
4. Forest and Farm Producer Development
   Strengthening cooperatives and producer organizations for sustainable enterprise growth.
5. Knowledge Management and Gender Mainstreaming
   Promoting awareness, gender equity, and participatory monitoring and evaluation.

Expected Results

• Strengthened institutional and community capacity for forest governance through training, logistics, and technical support.
• Updated community forest management plans and legal instruments to enable sustainable forest management.
• Improved biodiversity conservation through participatory forest management and restoration of degraded areas.
• Enhanced forest monitoring using remote sensing and carbon tracking technologies.
• Expanded climate-friendly livelihood opportunities, including crop diversification, agroforestry, and micro-enterprise development.
• Increased access to finance and markets for MSMEs in agriculture and livestock sectors.
• Strengthened knowledge systems and gender-balanced co-management of forests and PAs.
• Dissemination of best practices and learning materials via multimedia and community-friendly platforms.

Key Achievements

The CBFM project has made significant strides in promoting biodiversity conservation and improving the livelihoods of forest-fringe and forest-dependent communities across Liberia. Through a combination of sustainable land management, institutional strengthening, and alternative income-generating initiatives, the project has delivered impactful results:

1. Climate-Resilient Livelihoods and Enterprise Development

• Over 1,500 direct beneficiaries engaged in sustainable income-generating activities including cocoa, plantain/pigeon pea agroforestry, bee keeping, cane rat farming, VSLA, crafts, and vegetable farming.
• 30 Community Forest-Based Enterprises trained in business development, preparing for grant disbursement of up to US$10,000 each.
• 30,598 cocoa seeds and 1,000 plantain suckers distributed, with additional planting scheduled overtime.
• 20 agricultural demonstration sites established across Grand Gedeh and River Gee Counties, involving 200 farmers managing 1-hectare plots each.

2. Strengthened Forest Governance and Biodiversity Monitoring

• 80 Eco-guards trained and equipped to support FDA rangers in biomonitoring and biodiversity threat reduction.
• FDA’s operational capacity enhanced with 25 motorbikes and equipment for improved mobility and forest monitoring.
• Community-based patrols and restoration efforts initiated in degraded Protected Areas (PAs).
• Digital anti-corruption reporting tool (Talkay) adopted by communities and institutions.

3. Financial Inclusion and Market Access

• Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) empowered members to invest in small businesses such as food sales, general merchandise, and agro-products.
• Increased access to finance and market linkages for MSMEs involved in agriculture and livestock value chains.

4. Knowledge Sharing and Gender Mainstreaming

• Knowledge products and best practices disseminated through community-friendly platforms and multimedia outlets.
• Gender-balanced approaches integrated into forest management, monitoring, and evaluation systems.

5. Conservation and Agroforestry Innovation

• Successful implementation of the Cocoa/Plantain/Pigeon Pea Agroforestry model in Lofa County.
• Collaboration with Universal Outreach Foundation to establish 200 bee hives across 10 communities, involving 100 community members.
• 150+ farmers (including 110 women) supported through the System for Rice Intensification.
• Crafts group of 30 members (24 women) increased economic benefits.

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Project Document