The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), and Mercy Corps have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration, expand investment opportunities, enhance market intelligence, and promote inclusive growth in fisheries, and aquaculture sector.
The agreement, signed at NaFAA Headquarters near Freeport, establishes a framework for joint efforts to identify viable investment opportunities, strengthen fisheries, and aquaculture value chains, mobilize resources, create jobs, increase incomes, and contribute to economic development agenda.
Mercy Corps Commits to Deepen Engagement
Mercy Corps Director of Programs, Jacob A. Sambolah, expressed appreciation to NaFAA for its commitment, and collaboration.
Sambolah described the partnership as a strategic opportunity to deepen Mercy Corps’ contribution to Liberia’s development.
He highlighted the potential of fisheries, and aquaculture to create employment, generate income, strengthen livelihoods, and support local economic development, with particular interest in aquaculture, and its associated value chains.
“Mercy Corps has already undertaken some work in this space, but through this partnership, we are looking to deepen our engagement, strengthen value chains, and identify opportunities that can be scaled.”
Sambolah added that Mercy Corps will explore opportunities to align its existing programs with NaFAA’s institutional mandate, and work jointly with the Authority to scale successful interventions while identifying new opportunities for sustainable sector development.
NaFAA Emphasizes Strategic Partnership
NaFAA Director General, J. Cyrus Saygbe, welcomed the partnership, noting that the Authority is deliberately building strategic relationships with development institutions whose expertise, networks, and resources can complement government efforts to transform the fisheries, and aquaculture sector.
Saygbe noted that the partnership will further strengthen coordination through NaFAA’s Fisheries Development Partners Coordination Group, a quarterly platform that brings together development partners to coordinate support, and investment in the fisheries sector.
He identified market intelligence as one of the immediate areas where the partnership could deliver significant value.
Saygbe emphasized the need for reliable, and periodic information on fish prices, demand, supply, market trends, investment opportunities, and other commercial factors essential for producers, investors, policymakers, financial institutions, and other sector actors to make informed decisions.
“If Mercy Corps can support us in developing reliable market intelligence, and periodic market reporting, alongside other interventions under this MoU, it will add value to the sector.”
Under the agreement, NaFAA and Mercy Corps will collaborate on a Market Intelligence Study covering the fisheries, and aquaculture sector, with particular attention to market opportunities, constraints, investment priorities, and pathways for inclusive growth.
The collaboration will assess fisheries, and aquaculture enterprise development, including viable business models, cooperative structures, market opportunities, and value-addition pathways for entrepreneurs and small-scale producers.
The parties will also examine opportunities to strengthen cold-chain systems to reduce post-harvest losses, improve product quality, extend shelf life, and increase the value of fisheries and aquaculture products.
Gender mainstreaming will be another important component of the partnership. The collaboration will seek to identify barriers limiting women’s participation, and leadership in fisheries and aquaculture and develop approaches that promote more inclusive market systems and economic opportunities.
The initial geographic focus of the Market Intelligence Study will cover Sinoe, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa/Montserrado, Bong, and Nimba counties, subject to final validation by both parties.
The findings are expected to inform the development of concept notes, funding proposals, investment cases, donor pitch materials, and implementation roadmaps for priority opportunities identified through the study.
Under the MoU, Mercy Corps will provide technical expertise in market intelligence, market integration, gender mainstreaming, value-chain analysis, assessment design, business-case development, and opportunity identification.
Subject to internal approvals and available resources, Mercy Corps may also support studies, consultants, technical service providers, proposal development, documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of findings.
NaFAA, meanwhile, will provide sector leadership, technical guidance, institutional oversight, and validation. The Authority will facilitate access to relevant sector information, stakeholders, technical expertise, and institutions required to implement the study and related activities.
NaFAA will also facilitate engagement with its Fisheries Development Partners Coordination Group and other development partners where appropriate, particularly where joint initiatives could attract additional technical or financial support.
Saygbe further assured Mercy Corps of NaFAA’s readiness to jointly develop concept notes and funding proposals and provide the necessary institutional support for resource mobilization.
“Welcome on board to the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Let us work together to make this partnership meaningful, and beneficial to Liberia.”
