The Seeds4Liberia Project, an initiative aimed at building resilient seed systems across key agricultural value chains, has been officially launched in Monrovia.
This initiative was Funded by the European Union and led by AfricaRice, in collaboration with several national and international partners, this project seeks to transform Liberia’s agricultural landscape by improving seed production, distribution, and infrastructure for rice, cassava, soybean, coffee, and fish value chains.
The launch event featured participation from the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Administration, representing the Minister of Agriculture, the European Union Ambassador to Liberia, and Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, the Director General of AfricaRice and CGIAR Director for West and Central Africa.
Other key stakeholders included lead seed farmers, processors, and food and cash crop growers from Liberia’s agricultural and development sectors.
The Seeds4Liberia Project aims to provide Liberian farmers with high-quality seeds and training to enhance productivity and resilience.
It addresses challenges related to climate change and pests, ultimately improving 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.
EU Ambassador to Liberia, Nona Deprez, reaffirmed the EU’s long-term commitment to agricultural development in Liberia.
The Seeds4Liberia Project is part of the EU’s broader efforts to promote sustainable growth and food security in the country, aligning with its Global Gateway agenda.
“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”, the Ambassador said.
The EU is aligned with the Government of Liberia’s “Liberians Feed Yourselves Agenda” as outlined in the National Agriculture Development Plan 2024-2030.
“The Seeds4Liberia Project will provide farmers with high-quality, climate-resilient seeds, empowering Liberia to shape its agricultural future,” said Ambassador Deprez.
She emphasized the importance of strengthening private sector involvement in seed production to create new economic opportunities for local communities.
Mohamed Kamara, President of the Liberia Farmers Association said, “The structure of this project is crucial for Liberia as it ensures that seed farmers receive quality early generation seeds to produce ready-to-plant seeds for sale to other farmers.”
In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Administration, Mrs. Antoinette Dukuly, emphasized agriculture’s critical importance to Liberia’s economy, noting it provides livelihoods for over 70% of the population and contributes nearly 39% to GDP.
She highlighted that the Seeds4Liberia Project directly addresses 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 represents a transformative step towards a stronger 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 enhancing agricultural productivity while laying the foundation for food security, job creation, and economic diversification,” the Deputy Minister stated.
Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, Director General of AfricaRice, underscored the importance of improved seed systems in achieving food security and sustainable development.
He reiterated Africa Rice’s commitment to supporting Liberia’s agricultural transformation through technical expertise and research.
“The Seeds4Liberia Project is not just about improving yields; it’s about enhancing resilience and empowering Liberia’s farmers to tackle challenges posed by climate change and other external factors”, he stressed.
This project reflects our collective commitment to transforming Liberia’s agricultural landscape, and I am confident 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 managing the rice component. It highlights a unified effort across CGIAR centers, with IITA overseeing cassava, soybean, and coffee components, and WorldFish driving the fish component.
By building resilient seed systems for key crops, Seeds4Liberia showcases the power of integrated CGIAR expertise in supporting Liberia’s National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in boosting agricultural resilience, food security, and economic growth.
The Seeds4Liberia Project aligns with Liberia’s National Agricultural Development Plan (NADP) for 2024-2030, contributing directly to its goals of food self-sufficiency, rural development, and economic growth.
By addressing 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.
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.
With collaborative efforts from 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.
