The government and the European Union (EU) have launched a US$24M project aimed at addressing Liberia's agricultural quagmire, occasioned by decades of challenges, especially lack of good and affordable farm inputs. Launched in Monrovia on Monday, October 28, the project, coined "The Seeds4Liberia Project," focuses on the foundational aspect of the agricultural system--as it aimed at enhancing resilient seed systems in agricultural value chains.
The initiative, funded by the EU and implemented by AfricaRice, in partnership with various national and international collaborators, will help enhance Liberia's agricultural sector by improving seed production, distribution, and infrastructure for key value chains including rice, cassava, soybean, coffee, and fish.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Administration at the Ministry of Agriculture, Antoinette Dukuly, emphasized the critical importance of agriculture to Liberia's economy, noting that the sector provides livelihoods for over 70% of the population and contributes nearly 39% to the GDP. She highlighted that the Seeds4Liberia Project is designed to directly address key challenges in Liberia's seed systems, including the use of uncertified seeds and inadequate infrastructure for seed production and quality control.
"The Seeds4Liberia Project is a bold and transformative step to build a stronger, more resilient agricultural sector. By producing 6,000 tons of certified rice seeds, 62,500 bundles of cassava seedlings, 4,800 tons of certified soybean seeds, and 1.1 million coffee seeds, we are not just improving agricultural productivity--we are laying the foundation for food security, job creation, and economic diversification in Liberia," Deputy Minister Dukuly, who proxied for Agriculture Minister Alexander Nuetah, said.
Participants take a group photo after the formal opening of the launching ceremonies
Head of EU Delegation to Liberia, Madam Nona Deprez, described the launch of the Seeds4Liberia as the next best thing to happen in the sector as she emphasized its transformative potential.
"This is really the next best thing. This is really transformative," said in an interview at the launch ceremony. "We want to support Liberia to have its own seeds system, and its own seed production and distribution system so that farmers in the country do not have to buy seeds from abroad."
She noted that the EU's investment is geared towards ensuring that Liberia becomes autonomous in seed production. She reaffirmed the EU's long-term commitment to Liberia's agricultural development.
The Project is part of the EU's broader efforts to promote sustainable growth and food security in Liberia. It squarely fits in the Global Gateway agenda where the EU reaches out from people to people, Deprez noted.
"At the European Union, we strongly believe that sustainable development is rooted in the ability of countries to nourish their populations and diversify their economies. In this the EU is much aligned with the Government of Liberia's "LIBERIANS FEED YOURSELVES AGENDA" enshrined in its National Agriculture Development Plan 2024-2030. The Seeds4Liberia Project will provide farmers with high-quality, climate-resilient seeds, and empower Liberia and its population to chart its own agricultural future," said the EU representative, also stressing the importance of strengthening private sector involvement in seed production and creating new economic opportunities for local communities.
A very interesting aspect of the project is that it is implemented by a consortium of expert organizations AfricaRice, IITA, and World Fish.
"These are the real experts who are overseeing this landmark initiative," the EU Head of Delegation stated with a smile. "They will develop seeds that are adaptable to Liberia and that are climate resilient. We are talking about seeds that will increase the productivity levels of the farmers."
AfricaRice Director General, Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, who also serves as the CGIAR Director for West and Central Africa, highlighted the critical role that improved seed systems play in achieving food security and sustainable development. He expressed AfricaRice's commitment to supporting Liberia's agricultural transformation through technical expertise and research.
"The Seeds4Liberia Project is about more than just improving yields; it is about enhancing resilience and empowering Liberia's farmers to overcome the challenges posed by climate change and other external factors. This project represents a collective commitment to transforming Liberia's agricultural landscape, and I am confident that it will benefit the people of Liberia for years to come," said AfricaRice Director General.
It is anticipated that the project will empower Liberian farmers with high-quality seeds and training to boost productivity and resilience. By providing improved seed varieties, the project will address climate and pest challenges, enhancing food security and reducing reliance on imports. This initiative, the stakeholders noted, strengthens Liberia's agricultural base, ensuring a stable food supply and supporting sustainable livelihoods in line with national development goals.
"The way this project is structured is what we need in Liberia because it will ensure that seed farmers receive quality early generation seeds to produce ready-to-plant seeds and sell to farmers. We are looking forward to actively producing certified seeds and market [them] to farmers both in Liberia and beyond," said Mohamed Kamara, President of Liberia Farmers Association.
In previous EU projects, like the Integrated Rice, Fish Farming System (IRFFS) and others, the emphasis has been on individual farmers and cooperatives, but with the Seeds4Liberia, it is about taking the EU's support to systemic and structural levels to invest in the sector from the foundational level--which when it is right, would ensure that the entire agricultural sector is on the right trajectory.
"This is no longer about supporting individual farmers or cooperatives, but supporting the entire sector," the EU Ambassador noted.
AfricaRice Country Director-Liberia, Dr. Inoussa Akintayo, made a passionate plea to national stakeholders, "You are the driving engines of agriculture, and I would like to announce to you that the Seeds4Liberia offers a unique opportunity to build a resilient seed system in Liberia--an opportunity that we have been waiting for, for decades. We must seize this opportunity now and utilize it to the best of our abilities as we cannot be sure that we might ever have such again. So let us make this work."
Dr. Akintayo expressed his excitement that national and international stakeholders have finally understood the importance of seeds and are ready to consider it as a priority.
"Indeed, nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream," he said. "Our dream while developing this project is to contribute to Liberia Agriculture Transformation Agenda. Our dream of bringing all of you here today is to join us to dream together to unlock the potential of agriculture in this country."
A Comprehensive Approach to Agricultural Transformation
The Seeds4Liberia Project is aligned with Liberia's National Agricultural Development Plan (NADP) for 2024-2030 and directly contributes to its goals of food self-sufficiency, rural development, and economic growth. By addressing the critical gaps in seed production, certification, and distribution, the project aims to reduce Liberia's dependency on imported seeds and strengthen its agricultural value chains.
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The project will also enhance the capacity of key institutions such as the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), the Seed Development and Certification Agency, the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) and private-sector stakeholders to produce, store, and distribute high-quality seeds across the country.
Looking forward
With the collaborative efforts of the Government of Liberia, the European Union, AfricaRice, IITA, WorldFish, CARI, NaFAA, LACRA and other national and international partners, the Seeds4Liberia Project is poised to make a lasting impact on Liberia's agriculture. The initiative will empower farmers, increase productivity, and contribute to long-term food security and economic diversification.
Meanwhile, in addition to ensuring the availability of quality seeds, the project has several components. One of these is to map Liberia's Soil System. This will lead to ensuring that the different kinds of soils are identified and mapped. The other component has to do with ensuring Food Safety in the Country--under the project standards authorities and food laboratories will be supported and upgraded so that they are able to test the quality of food that is imported into the country. And the final component is the provision of technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture so that officials and staffers of the ministry are adequately able to learn the sector.
In addition to the Deputy Minister Dukuly, Madam Deprez and Mr. Manneh, other key stakeholders including lead seed farmers, processors, food and cash crop growers from Liberia's agricultural and development sectors graced the launch of the project.
