Monrovia — Liberian policy analyst Ambulah Mamey has called on the government to immediately reallocate US$10-15 million from the National Security Agency (NSA) budget to the agriculture sector, arguing that Liberia's continued reliance on donor-funded projects has failed to deliver food security and jobs.
In a strongly worded policy commentary, Mamey criticized successive finance ministers for using donor-designed and donor-controlled agriculture projects as justification for low national budgetary support to agriculture, describing the approach as "technically incorrect" and economically damaging.
"The argument that agriculture is already funded because donors finance projects confuses accounting with agricultural transformation," Mamey wrote. "Every time this logic is tested against evidence, it fails."
Donor Projects Not a Substitute
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According to Mamey, donor-funded agriculture projects may deliver short-term gains but have not produced the large-scale transformation Liberia needs to solve its food and employment crisis.
"Depending on donor projects is an oath to keep failing," he argued, warning that such projects are often unsustainable, poorly aligned with national priorities, and deepen dependency.
He noted that even government officials acknowledge these risks. Liberia's "Feed Yourself" plan, developed under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, recognizes that donor projects are frequently misaligned and unsustainable. Yet, Mamey said, agriculture spending remains low two years later.
"This sends mixed signals about the government's commitment to the 'A' in the ARREST Agenda," he said.
Lessons From Ghana and Senegal
Mamey pointed to Ghana and Senegal as examples of countries that moved away from donor-heavy agriculture financing toward state-owned, multi-year, on-budget programs.
He noted that Ghana invested more than US$1 billion in its Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program starting in 2017, crowding in private investment and delivering food and jobs at scale, despite challenges.
Similarly, Senegal's PRACAS program, he said, helped the country approach rice self-sufficiency through sustained public financing.
"No country succeeds by funding the most critical pillar of its development strategy through donor projects," Mamey argued.
Liberia's Funding Gap
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Liberia's agriculture investment plan, according to Mamey, is costed at US$777 million, with the national budget expected to contribute US$272 million between 2024 and 2030. However, as the Senate prepares to pass the third budget within that cycle, agriculture allocations remain far below target.
He warned that the shortfall threatens the government's ability to deliver on promises of food security and job creation.
"The funding gap makes me worried that the Rescue team may not deliver the food and jobs as promised," he said.
Call for Immediate Action
As a first step, Mamey urged the government to redirect US$10-15 million from the NSA budget to agriculture, allowing the Ministry of Agriculture to invest directly in nationally owned value-chain programs capable of producing quick and scalable results.
"Donor projects should complement--not substitute--serious domestic budget financing," he stressed. "Agricultural transformation requires predictable funding, national systems, and long-term political ownership."
Mamey emphasized that his warning was based on experience, not pessimism.
"I am not swearing the country," he wrote. "I am predicting based on evidence."
