Ms. Caroline N. Wonokay, Director of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Agriculture, says Liberia can channel the unifying spirit of the National County Sports Meet into a county-by-county agricultural drive rooted in each county’s unique strengths.
“When Liberians gather for the National County Sports Meet, we see unity in its purest form,” she said. “Communities rally behind their counties, young people are inspired, and competition becomes healthy and purposeful.”
Wonokay noted that just as counties differ in talent and depth in sports, they also vary in population density, land availability, and soil characteristics—factors that should guide agricultural specialization. “Every county has its own population dynamics and soil types suited to specific agricultural activities,” she explained. “We should organize agriculture the same way we organize sports, by playing to each county’s strengths.”
She argued that a structured, county-based agricultural challenge would boost productivity, spur innovation and value addition, and strengthen local pride and accountability. She highlighted rice production, cassava value chains, vegetable hubs, and youth-led agribusinesses as practical pathways to job creation and national food security.
Linking the idea to national priorities, Wonokay urged stronger local leadership and legislative engagement. “If our lawmakers are active in their districts, and Senators begin to support agricultural initiatives in collaboration with local governments, Liberia can achieve the ‘A’ in the ARREST Agenda well before 2030,” she said. “Agriculture succeeds when leadership is present at the local level and policies are translated into action on the ground.”
She concluded with a call for shared responsibility. “Agriculture must be treated as a collective national responsibility. It is not the job of the Minister of Agriculture alone,” Wonokay stressed. “Every leader—lawmakers, county authorities, traditional leaders, and communities—has a role to play if Liberia is to feed itself and grow its economy.”
