Life Sciences Commons^™

Determinants Of Liberian Farmgate Cocoa Prices, Alicia English

Masters Theses

In an effort to increase growth, employment and diversify farmer portfolios and exports in Liberia, the government is currently focused on opportunities in smallholder tree crops. Smallholder cocoa has the potential to benefit a wide population of farmers by increasing income opportunities and adding to overall household food security. However, the government must contend with a chaotic buyer driven marketplace with limited access to financial and physical capital and relatively little incentive to enhance production capacity and ensure quality. This research describes the characteristics of Liberian cocoa producing and marketing households in order to give context to smallholder marketing decisions …