The Cooperative Development Agency (CDA), in collaboration with the Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP), has successfully concluded a three-day intensive capacity-building training aimed at strengthening the skills of 10 selected staff members in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Data Management.
The training, held at the CDA headquarters in Monrovia from October 21–23, 2026, forms part of ongoing efforts to enhance institutional capacity, improve data management systems and promote effective service delivery to cooperative societies across Liberia.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, CDA Director-General Madam Lwopu G. Kandakai expressed appreciation to RETRAP for its continued support to the agency.
She highlighted the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between the CDA and RETRAP to strengthen six targeted cooperatives across Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Margibi, and Bomi counties.
Madam Kandakai explained that the agreement prioritizes strengthening cooperative governance, improving institutional collaboration, providing leadership and governance training, and supporting annual audits of cooperatives benefiting from RETRAP.
She emphasized that the training was designed to strengthen the CDA’s institutional capacity through the development and implementation of a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation system to track cooperative development nationwide.
The initiative also seeks to establish a centralized digital database of cooperatives, introduce standardized monitoring indicators, and improve the agency’s ability to assess cooperative governance, performance, and growth.
The CDA chief further noted that improved monitoring and data management would enhance evidence-based decision-making, strengthen accountability and enable the agency to measure progress more effectively in the cooperative sector.
She urged the trained staff to become change agents within their respective assigned counties by applying the knowledge and skills acquired to improve service delivery.
The workshop brought together staff members from the Program and Monitoring and Evaluation Department and the Field Services Department.
Facilitated by external experts in monitoring, evaluation, and data systems, the training covered practical areas, including data collection tools, data quality assurance, M&E framework development results-based reporting, and the use of digital platforms for cooperative data management.
Speaking at the close of the training, lead facilitator Wengo Varney of Foster Global Industries underscored the importance of strong monitoring and evaluation systems and effective data management in achieving successful development outcomes.
He encouraged participants to apply the skills gained to improve the tracking of cooperative performance and strengthen reporting to development partners.
Participants expressed appreciation to RETRAP and CDA management for providing the opportunity, describing the training as timely, practical, and eye-opening.
They pledged to use their newly acquired skills to promote transparency, accountability and evidence-based decision-making in their engagement with farmers and cooperative societies.
The training represents an important step in the CDA’s efforts to modernize its institutional systems, strengthen staff competencies and improve the delivery of services to cooperatives across Liberia.
The Rural Economic Transformation Project is a Government of Liberia initiative funded by the World Bank.
The project seeks to increase productivity and improve market access for smallholder farmers and agribusinesses through support to cooperative societies and other agricultural development initiatives across the country.
