The objective
Liberia has fertile land, abundant rainfall and a large rural population, yet the country still imports a substantial share of its staple food. Rice illustrates the gap clearly: domestic production remains far below annual demand.
The Weah 2029 programme would treat agriculture as a commercial growth sector and a food-security system, not only as subsistence activity.
Programme direction
Rice, cassava, vegetables, livestock and selected cash-crop value chains would receive coordinated support based on agro-ecological potential and market demand. That support should combine improved seed and planting material, irrigation where viable, extension, mechanisation services, storage, feeder roads, processing and market access rather than distributing inputs without a value-chain plan.
Aggregation centres and storage systems would help farmers reach larger buyers and reduce losses. Public institutions should use transparent procurement to create predictable demand for qualifying Liberian food products where supply, quality and value are competitive.
Agricultural finance would be strengthened through risk-sharing arrangements, better farm and market data, warehouse-receipt approaches where feasible and partnerships with banks, cooperatives and processors.
What success should look like
Higher yields, more locally produced rice and other staples, lower post-harvest losses, more agro-processing, stronger rural incomes and a measurable reduction in dependence on food imports over time.
Key Commitments
- Implement value-chain programmes that connect production to storage, processing, finance and markets.
- Expand irrigated and improved lowland rice production where technically and economically viable.
- Develop aggregation, storage and cold-chain infrastructure in major production areas.
- Use transparent public procurement to support competitive Liberian food producers.
- Publish annual production, import-dependence and post-harvest-loss indicators for priority food crops.