According to the 2010 CFSNS, some 41 per cent of households have inadequate access to sufficient and nutritious food; 13 per cent are severely food-insecure, and 28 per cent are borderline food-insecure. Acute malnutrition among children under 5 is 2.8 per cent while the national average for stunting prevalence is 42 per cent, surpassing the World Health Organization’s “critical” threshold of 40 per cent in rural Liberia (CFSNS, 2010). The refugee influx resulting from the post-electoral crisis in the Ivory Coast along with rising global food prices has created additional food security challenges for Liberia.
Liberia relies heavily on food imports. In August 2012, retail prices of imported rice were between 4 to 31 percent above higher in all domestic markets compared to a year ago. Across the board, prices have increased between 4 and 31 per cent above the August 2011 prices.
October 2012