President Joseph Nyuma Boakai says his administration has increased the country’s agricultural budget by over 200 percent compared to the previous administration.
“My administration has increased the agricultural budget by over 200 percent compared to the previous administration,” he said while delivering his second annual message to the nation.
Though the President sounds boastful, the allocation made in the national budget is still far below the benchmark of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) framework, which mandates 10 percent of the total annual national budget for agriculture and fisheries to improve the economy.
Recently, Liberia recommitted itself to the CAADP framework during the Extraordinary Summit of African Heads of State in Kampala, Uganda.
Since 2009, the country has yet to allot 10 percent of the total national budget to agriculture, but it depends hugely on international partners for its agricultural programs and strategies.
For the past 2- years, the budget for agriculture has stood at approximately 5 million dollars which was less than 1 percent of the 600 million dollars total national budget. However, for this current fiscal year 2025, the Liberian government has relatively increased the agricultural budget to over US$ 15 million which is less than 2 percent of the US$ 880 million total national budget.
The relative increment is said to mainly seek the establishment of the Enterprise Development Bank to address improving access to finance.
Boakai has earmarked agriculture as pivotal for the economy to reduce poverty, create more jobs, and improve food security under his ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) which was recently launched by his government.
The President said Liberia has immense potential for large-scale agriculture, which will create jobs, feed our people, and strengthen our economy.
However, he said despite how the viable sector appeared to be it has not received the attention it deserves.
According to him, to improve the sector within the first year of his administration his government has made some significant achievements in supporting domestic rice production and creating economic opportunities for farmers in cocoa and oil palm value chains.
“Over the past year, we have taken significant steps to advance agriculture and enhance sufficiency. To help reduce our resilience and reliance on rice imports we cultivated over 4000 hectares of rice and we need to double our efforts to develop 6000 hectares. We have directed substantial support to cocoa and oil palm production resulting in over 10,000 hectares of cocoa cultivated and investment and palm oil agribusiness,” he said.
Boakai said to promote the productivity of farmers is government is working on a plan to support farm mechanization.
“We are constructing five mechanization hubs in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Montserrado, and Margibi counties to enable farmers to access essential machinery to increase production. Progress is underway in mechanizing cassava cultivation aimed at both consumption and stach export,” he added.
Making mention of the new national agricultural plan, he said the plan highlights the value chain with dedicated funding to enhance agribusiness and create jobs.
He further disclosed the government’s interest in knowing the current status of the nation’s food insecurity.
“To combat food insecurity and support vulnerable populations, we have launched the comprehensive food security and nutrition survey to assess food security in our communities, the president said.
Boakai boasts of improving allotment for agriculture in the national budget, the country’s farmers and value chain members are anticipating that and his administration is going to change the narrative of agriculture under his watch as he has promised.
“If agriculture has never worked before in this country it will be under my administration,” he once said during the launch of the 2023 Global Hunger Index Report.
By Judoemue M. Kollie
