It has been forty-five years since the rice riot of April 14, 1979. A proposed increase in the price of rice, the nation's staple, led to a demonstration that escalated into a full-scale riot, dubbed the infamous 1979 rice riot. The nation was shut down, and a commission was set up to investigate and report to then-President William R. Tolbert, Jr.
Forty-five years later, the nation is still grappling with the rice crisis: regular shortages, price hikes, and an inability to scale local production. Currently, all major rice importers are foreign businessmen. Liberia has had four democratically elected governments, not counting the years of war, and unfortunately, no single administration has crafted an innovative strategy to provide rice sustainably. This failure has prevented opportunities for Liberian businesses and food security for the larger population.
Liberia has been unable to achieve food security in rice, vegetables, and other food crops due to a lack of vision and bold political leadership. Basic commodities like bananas, plantains, peppers, peanuts, fruits, and vegetables are imported daily from neighboring Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone by market women at high prices due to transport and overhead costs. This situation is alarming and poses a national security concern.
The foundation of national security is food security, with rice at the pinnacle of that order. The current administration must implement innovative measures to solve this forty-five-year-old problem by adopting a grassroots and community-driven approach. This strategy should integrate the views of ordinary people, market women, farmers, and professionals in economic analysis and food production, thus finding a sustainable solution to the rice question. This approach must be proactive, not reactionary. The national committee on rice is a good step forward and should include diverse perspectives. It should also function as a small think tank, brainstorming short-term and long-term approaches.
Furthermore, in the context of national security, the administration needs a national security council, presided over by the national security advisor. This council should monitor potential national security concerns, such as rice and petroleum product shortages, and manage crises effectively. The committee should be broad-based, non-partisan, and include professionals and ordinary citizens.
The North-Central part of Liberia has a historic competence in rice production and could be empowered to produce more rice through local farmers. Lofa, Bong, Nimba, and Margibi counties could become hubs of rice production, while southeastern counties could focus on fisheries and the western cluster on cassava production.
The Johnson-Sirleaf administration attempted to encourage local businessmen in rice importation by announcing the Sinkor Trading Company as a Liberian business endeavor, but it collapsed before it got off the ground. The long-term goal of achieving rice and food security requires a thorough, sober approach and the political will to prioritize this issue.
The litmus test for every Liberian government is the question of rice price and availability. Liberia should also strengthen its food policy by focusing on nutrition and the health of its citizens. This can be done by prioritizing feeding programs for students with balanced meals that build on the foundation of nutrition. In the early days of the Weah administration, there were acute gas shortages with queues at several petrol stations lasting for weeks. Such reoccurrences are not inevitable. The national security advisor's office should expand to include representatives from student bodies, market women, civil servants, trade unions, and other groups whose actions may influence national security.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
A sustainable solution to the rice crisis involves adopting a long-term plan to scale local production of swamp rice, build upon existing research on rice production, and provide local content for rice importation. Alternative food crops like cassava, eddoes, potatoes, yams, and plantains should be included in school feeding programs to encourage a new generation to value these viable substitutes for rice.
Author
Lekpele M. Nyamalon is a Liberian Writer, Poet, Author, ICT Professional and thought leader. He is the Author of Scary Dreams: An anthology of the Liberian Civil War and the founder of Africa's Life- an afro centric youth movement working with youths in the areas of Education, Civic Leadership and Arts & Culture. He can be reached at nyamalon23@gmail.com.
