In a country where agriculture remains the backbone of rural livelihoods, yet productivity has long lagged behind potential, the Seed Development and Certification Agency (SDCA) have taken a decisive step to address one of Liberia's most persistent challenges: farmers' access to quality, reliable seeds.
Last week, the SDCA successfully certified a new cadre of local seed specialists following a specialized training program aimed at enhancing the roles, responsibilities, and compliance capacity of Liberia's emerging seed companies. The initiative comes amid rising demand for certified seeds as part of national efforts to boost food security, increase farm incomes, and reduce dependence on imports.
For decades, Liberian farmers--particularly smallholders--have struggled to obtain quality planting materials. The civil conflict devastated seed systems, destroying research facilities, seed banks, and extension networks. In the post-war period, most farmers relied on saved seeds, informal exchanges, or low-quality imports, often with poor germination rates and declining yields.
Efforts to improve the sector have been intermittent. Government and donor-backed programs have periodically introduced improved rice and cassava varieties, while NGOs supported community seed multiplication initiatives. However, the lack of a strong regulatory and certification framework has resulted in inconsistent seed quality, widespread circulation of counterfeit seeds, and low farmer confidence in the formal seed market.
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It was against this backdrop that the SDCA was established under the Seed Development and Certification Agency Act of 2019 and later operationalized through the Seed Development and Certification Regulations of 2021, to serve as Liberia's principal authority for seed regulation, certification, and development.
Delivering welcome remarks at the certification ceremony, SDCA Director General Johnson Momo described the training as both timely and critical.
"This comes at a time when the role of seed companies has never been more important," Momo said. "As key actors in the agricultural value chain, seed companies are central to ensuring farmers' access to quality, reliable, and certified seeds that can significantly increase yields and improve livelihoods."
He explained that the training aimed to deepen participants' understanding of their regulatory, technical, and ethical responsibilities--from seed production and processing to labeling, marketing, and compliance with national standards. According to Mr. Momo, the program also provides a platform to confront long-standing challenges in the sector and promote transparency and accountability.
"Private-sector insights are essential to building a robust and reliable seed sector," he emphasized, urging participants to share experiences and apply best practices.
Farmers and seed producers from Foya District, Lofa County, expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture and SDCA for what they described as a transformative intervention. For Mrs. Tewah Lusu Blama Dunor of the Mayo River Agricultural Corporation, certification marked the fulfillment of a long-held ambition.
"Becoming a certified seed grower has always been my dream," she said. "Quality seeds are the foundation of high yields and national food security."
Mrs. Dunor highlighted key lessons from the training, including understanding seed cycles, proper spacing to avoid genetic mixing, and replacing seeds after three production cycles to maintain performance. Representing the Mayo River Women's Cooperative, which has 120 members, she praised the resilience of women farmers committed to producing quality seeds under challenging conditions.
From a private-sector perspective, Agriculture and Infrastructure Investment Company (AIIC) CEO Mohamed Kamara described the training as a milestone for Liberia's agricultural transformation.
"This is historic," Kamara said. "Understanding compliance standards, documentation, and field management is what will allow Liberia's seed sector to compete regionally."
Kamara, who also serves as President of the National Rice Federation of Liberia, urged certificate recipients to translate theory into practice, noting that certification is a major step forward despite ongoing challenges.
The certification program forms part of SDCA's broader mandate to regulate and develop Liberia's seed system. The agency ensures that only varieties listed in the National Seed Catalogue or the ECOWAS West African Catalogue are traded, while registering and accrediting seed producers, processors, importers, and sellers. Beyond regulation, SDCA promotes local seed production, supports private-sector participation, advises research institutions on farmer seed demand, and monitors seed markets and pricing. It also regulates seed imports and exports to protect domestic agriculture.
In recent years, the agency has transitioned from dormancy into an active regulator, expanding field activities across counties and partnering in initiatives such as the EU-funded Seeds4Liberia project, which targets crops including rice, cassava, soybean, and coffee.
The training workshop was conducted to transition seed growers from informal production units into legally recognized seed companies capable of participating effectively in Liberia's formal seed system. The initiative aligns with national agricultural development goals and regional seed harmonization frameworks, including ECOWAS seed regulations.
The latest training benefited five seed companies and at least 25 participants, directly addressing gaps that have historically undermined Liberia's formal seed system, including weak certification, poor documentation, inconsistent quality control, and unlawful marketing.
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With an estimated cost of US$2,415, the two-day program focused on seed regulations, production and processing, internal quality control systems, certification procedures, and ethical marketing practices, including labeling and traceability. The training aimed to build technical and managerial capacity of seed growers in production, quality control, and business management; facilitate formal registration of seed growers as seed companies under Liberian law; strengthen understanding of seed policies and regulations, including certification and variety release processes; promote private-sector-led seed system development to improve access to quality seed; and enhance coordination among seed system actors, including government regulators, research institutions, and seed entrepreneurs.
Expected outcomes include improved seed quality, increased regulatory compliance, stronger farmer confidence, and more dependable seed markets--conditions long absent from Liberia's agricultural landscape.
Mr. Momo expressed optimism that the certification would translate into lasting impact.
"We look forward to strengthening collaboration as we work together to build a strong, transparent, and dependable seed sector for Liberia," he said.
For farmers who have spent years planting uncertainty into their fields, the emergence of certified local seed specialists may finally offer a foundation for predictable yields, resilient livelihoods, and sustainable agricultural growth.
