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<p>The Ministry of Agriculture, through its the Tree Crops Extension Project (TCEP), is currently distributing over one million cocoa high yielding seedlings to almost 2,500 smallholder farmers in seven districts in Lofa County. The farmers, selected through known and legally registered cooperatives, are based in Foya, Kolahun, Quardu-Gbondi, Salayea, Vahun, Voinjama and Zorzor.  When transplanted, each of the seedling will start fruiting between two to three years. Rome-based International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) funds the TCEP with grants and loans secured by the Government of Liberia through Financing Agreements.The agreements ratified by the National Legislature restrict TCEP’s interventions to Lofa and Nimba Counties only. TCEP is involved in the cocoa farms’ rehabilitation and farmers support through supplies of seedlings, inputs, tools and training of cocoa farmers in the two counties.</p>
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