A Civil Group Under the banner,The Coalition of Grassroots Organizations in Liberia has rejected a recent assessment by Front Page Africa (FPA), which assigned a failing grade to the Liberia Agriculture Regulatory Authority (LACRA) and its leadership under Acting Director General, Dan T. Saryee. In a formal statement, the coalition criticized the assessment as biased, arguing that it failed to accurately reflect the significant progress made under Saryee’s leadership.
The coalition’s statement issued said since Saryee assumed the role of Acting Director General, LACRA has undergone a remarkable transformation. “Upon taking office, Saryee inherited an authority struggling with prolonged dormancy, operational inefficiencies, and a tarnished reputation.
However, in a short time, he has successfully reinvigorated LACRA, leading it through a series of comprehensive reforms aimed at modernizing its operations and enhancing its capacity to support Liberia’s agricultural sector,” the statement reads. One of the most notable successes under Saryee’s leadership, according to the coalition, has been the reactivation and decentralization of LACRA’s operations.
The authority has significantly expanded its presence across Liberia, enabling more effective engagement with stakeholders in the agricultural value chain, including farmers, exporters, and regulatory partners. These efforts have strengthened LACRA’s ability to address the needs of Liberia’s agriculture sector and ensure its relevance and effectiveness in its regulatory role.
The coalition also praised Saryee’s focus on financial transparency and accountability at LACRA. Within just six months, he implemented rigorous financial reviews, strengthened internal controls, and introduced mobile money platforms to reduce cash-handling risks and improve transparency. These initiatives have been crucial in ensuring that LACRA operates with greater accountability and integrity, fostering public trust in the institution’s management of resources.
A particularly significant achievement under Saryee’s leadership is the launch of a national traceability system for Liberia’s cocoa and coffee exports.
This system, designed to meet international regulatory standards such as the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), will greatly enhance Liberia’s competitiveness in global markets, particularly in Europe. By ensuring that Liberia’s cocoa and coffee exports are traceable and compliant with international regulations, the traceability system opens new opportunities for the country’s agricultural products, benefiting both farmers and exporters.
The coalition also highlighted Saryee’s successful reclamation of LACRA’s 430-acre estate in Bong County, which had been locked in a long-standing land dispute. The resolution of this dispute and the return of the estate to productive use is seen as a significant administrative and legal success. This accomplishment not only restores a valuable asset to the institution but also lays the groundwork for potential investments in Liberia’s agricultural sector.
Additionally, Saryee has actively sought to position Liberia’s agricultural products on the global stage through strategic international partnerships. Notably, he led a high-level delegation to Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producer, to learn from best practices in sustainable cocoa production.
The mission also explored potential partnerships with key institutions, including the Ivorian Coffee and Cocoa Regulatory Authority (CCC) and the Rainforest Alliance. These efforts reflect Saryee’s commitment to improving the technical capacity of Liberia’s agricultural sector and ensuring the global competitiveness of the country’s cocoa and coffee industries.
Despite facing resistance to reform, including pushback from individuals with vested interests, the coalition expressed full confidence in Saryee’s leadership.
The statement concluded by praising his focus on long-term institutional development and his unwavering commitment to improving the regulatory framework for Liberia’s agricultural sector. The statement was issued under the signature of Steve Musa Sessay, Secretary General of the Organization on December 13, 2025..
