The Seeds4Liberia Project, an initiative aimed at building resilient seed systems across key agricultural value chains, was officially launched today Monrovia. This project, funded by the European Union and led by AfricaRice, in collaboration with several national and international partners, seeks to transform Liberia's agricultural landscape by improving seed production, distribution, and infrastructure for rice, cassava, soybean, coffee, and fish value chains.
Key Stakeholders Speak at the Launch
The event saw the participation of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Administration, representing the Minister of Agriculture, Ambassador of the European Union to Liberia, and the Director General of AfricaRice and Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, among other key stakeholders including lead seed farmers, processors, food and cash crop growers from Liberia's agricultural and development sectors.
The Seeds4Liberia project will provide Liberian farmers with high-quality seeds and training to boost productivity and resilience. Through this, the project addresses climate and pest challenges, enhancing food security and reducing reliance on imports. This initiative strengthens Liberia's agricultural base, ensuring a stable food supply and supporting sustainable livelihoods in line with national development goals.
European Union's Commitment to Agricultural Development
The EU Ambassador to Liberia, H.E. Nona Deprez, reaffirmed the EU's long-term commitment to Liberia's agricultural development. The Seeds4Liberia Project, funded by the European Union, is part of the EU's broader efforts to promote sustainable growth and food security in Liberia. It squarely fits in Global Gateway agenda where the EU reaches out from people to people.
"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 Ambassador Deprez. The EU also stressed the importance of strengthening private sector involvement in seed production and creating new economic opportunities for local communities.
"The ways 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 active produce certified seeds and market to farmers both in Liberia and beyond" said Mr. Mohamed Kamara, President of Liberia Farmers Association.
In her opening remarks, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Administration, 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. The Minister 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," said the Deputy Minister.
Seeds4Liberia: AfricaRice's Leadership & A Model of One CGIAR Integration
The Director General of AfricaRice, Dr Baboucarr Manneh, 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 the Director General.
The Seeds4Liberia project exemplifies effective One CGIAR collaboration, with AfricaRice leading and managing the rice component. This project highlights a unified effort across CGIAR centers, with IITA overseeing cassava, soybean, and coffee components, and WorldFish driving the fish component. With the goal of building resilient seed systems for key crops in Liberia, Seeds4Liberia showcases the power of integrated CGIAR centers' expertise to support Liberia NARS in boosting agricultural resilience, food security, and economic growth in the 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.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
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, Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), Liberia Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority (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.
Note: A previous version of this story published on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 incorrectly indicated that the project launched on Monday by the Government and the European Union, has a budget of US$24M. While it is true that the EU has committed such an amount to agricultural sector for four years, the Seeds4Liberia Project, which is a component of the overall support to the sector, actually has a budget line of US$6.5M--and it was this component that was launched on Monday.
