Brushing and clearing are the major farm activities currently underway in preparation for rice and vegetable planting in April or May according to the ecological zone. These farm labor activities provide normal to good incomes to households. Cassava currently planted will be harvested starting in August during the main lean season, improving availability of staple foods. In refugee-affected areas, the government, in collaboration with local communities, has allocated land to refugees to allow them to plant crops. Some refugees and host households have already received agricultural inputs and tools from the Government and assistance partners. Other refugees who are not planting crops are involved in small business or engaged in intensive labor activities. Household rice stocks are normal, except in southeastern counties where some farmers have experienced lower production compared to previous harvest. However, lean season is expected to be normal in this area since households are able to shift to cassava from their own fields, and purchase rice from the market thanks to normal or above normal income levels.
Imported rice remains well-supplied on most urban and rural markets, with the parboiled variety replacing butter rice. Prices remain stable in February compared to January with a slight increase of 7 percent in Monrovia and 10 percent in Grand Cape Mont in the Northeast near Sierra Leone. Annual price increases in the cost of rice range from 3 percent in Pleebo in the south close to Ivory Coast to 66 percent in Zwedru (Grand Geddeh County), largely attributable to the market shift from butter rice to generally more expensive parboiled rice in this area, and possibly the reduction of food aid in refugee areas since January/February 2012. Other markets such as Voinjama, Monrovia and Tubmanburg show 24, 34 and 40 percent increase respectively since the same time last year, also due to the replacement of the slightly more expensive parboiled varieties on the market over butter rice. Palm oil currently harvested is well supplied in markets and production of this commodity will continue through June. With the exception of Monrovia, where a monthly increase of 2 percent is observed elsewhere, prices are stable or in few cases they are decreasing (7 percent drop in Pleebo). In general, prices are higher than last year (3- 18 percent) providing normal to good incomes to small holders. Fuel prices remain stable in February or continue to show a slight decreases ranging from 4 to 6 percent when compared to January 2012 prices, but remain 4 to 8 percent higher than last year.
As reported in February, the refugee population remains just over 69,500 people, almost half of the population reported in December 2011. WFP is providing food rations to people living in camps (35,042 individuals) and to those living in the relocation villages. The current WFP food pipeline will provide current-level food assistance to recipients through May 2012, leaving a need for additional food assistance support starting in June to coincide with the peak of the lean season in the south eastern counties. The voluntary repatriation of refugees is currently supported by UNHCR and other partners using cash incentives and this assistance is expected to encourage the voluntary return of up to 25,000 individuals in June, and a remaining 15,000 from July to December 2012. If successful, the result will be less food assistance required for refugees in these areas, with a shift in assistance towards the re-establishment and improvement of livelihoods in host communities and returnee communities in the Ivory Coast.
Due to normal or high demand for palm oil to meet needs in both Liberia and neighboring Guinea, prices will remain higher than last year, improving household incomes even for poor households who extract oil from wild palm trees. Casual labor opportunities in large rubber and palm plantations, good wages rates, and sales of cassava and matured vegetables are increasing household income.