The Government of Liberia, in partnership with international development allies, has inaugurated an ambitious Six-Year National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) for the period 2024-2030.
This comprehensive initiative, dubbed “Liberians Feed Yourselves,” seeks to combat food insecurity, drastically reduce the nation’s dependence on rice imports, and enhance government revenues through a revitalized agricultural sector.
Liberia, despite its vast arable lands, currently spends over $300 million annually on rice imports, which constitutes a significant drain on foreign exchange resources.
This heavy reliance on imported rice diverts crucial funds from essential infrastructure projects such as roads, schools, and healthcare facilities. The NADP aims to reverse this trend by empowering local farmers, boosting domestic production, and fostering self-sufficiency.
The launch event, held at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Oldest Congo Town, was graced by President Joseph N. Boakai, key stakeholders in the agricultural sector, government officials, and both national and international partners.
Themed “Promoting Food Self-Sufficiency and Indigenous Wealth Creation through Agriculture Value Chain Development,” the ceremony underscored the critical role of agriculture in Liberia’s economic future.
President Boakai, in his keynote address, emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to transforming the agricultural sector to ensure food self-sufficiency.
He highlighted the importance of food security in light of global challenges such as climate change and political instability, which have significant implications for national stability and development.
“The NADP is more than a plan; it is a comprehensive roadmap to a secure and sustainable future,” declared President Boakai. “It is driven by innovative strategies, modern technologies, and significant investment opportunities. This plan promises to reinvigorate our agricultural sector and enhance our self-sufficiency in food production.”
The President highlighted that despite Liberia’s potential, the country imports 70% of its rice, thereby subsidizing the agriculture sectors of other nations while neglecting its own. He stressed the need for a paradigm shift: “When we import rice, chickens, eggs, and cows from other countries, we are subsidizing their agriculture and undermining ours. Now, let us subsidize our agriculture and eat what we produce.”
The NADP aims to empower local farmers by increasing productivity and efficiency through strategic investments in agricultural infrastructure, technology, and research.
The plan envisions transitioning from traditional subsistence farming to large-scale, sustainable, mechanized practices. Smallholder farmers will receive training in modern agricultural technologies and resources to facilitate their transition to large-scale cooperative farming.
“The NADP aims to make agriculture a smart and profitable business that will attract all Liberians, particularly the youth,” President Boakai noted. He called on well-meaning Liberians, especially politicians, to support this agricultural transformation, emphasizing that collective effort is crucial for the plan’s success.
The government will provide essential resources, including land, modern technologies, and improved seeds, to enhance farming and increase food production across the country. Efforts will also be made to cultivate more cash crops, such as coffee and cocoa, for export to boost the economy.
“On this historic day, I bear the hope that what we share here today will profoundly impact our nation’s forward march. I announce a new six-year agriculture development policy initiative dubbed ‘LIBERIANS FEED YOURSELVES AGENDA,’ as our National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) 2024-2030. This Plan promises to reinvigorate our agricultural sector and enhance our self-sufficiency in food production” says President Boakai.
. “We will train our farmers in modern agricultural technologies and empower them with resources to undertake large-scale cooperative farms”
The NADP will revolutionize agricultural practices to make agriculture a smart and lucrative business that will attract many Liberians, especially our young people.
“As President, I promise to deploy the needed political will to motivate all of us to embark upon this make-or-break agricultural journey. We will provide our farmers with the necessary resources, including farmlands, modern technology, farm-to-market roads, and improved seeds and other inputs, to encourage big-time farming to feed our people”.
According to him, Liberia has wandered in agricultural wilderness for far too long, adding: “Now is the time to reach our promised land. With deep faith in ourselves and the dedication this task demands, we, together, can build a more resilient and self-reliant agricultural sector”.
“When agriculture flourishes in Liberia, the entire nation flourishes. No one goes to bed on an empty stomach; no child is left malnourished; no child goes to school hungry; more jobs are created; poverty diminishes, crime decreases, peace reigns; the Lone Star shines, and we all, with one accord, celebrate the joy and happiness in the bright shining Lone Star”, the Liberia N Head of States indicated.
By G. Watson Richards
