President Joseph Boakai has told the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization about his administration plans to accelerate domestic food production while scaling down on imports.
The President  thanked the Director General for the technical support extended to the country through various technical cooperation projects and reaffirmed that agriculture remained a priority in his vision for the country, with a strong emphasis on empowering farmers, promoting modern agricultural technologies, and creating opportunities for large-scale cooperative farms, aimed at reinvigorating the agricultural sector and reducing the dependence on food imports.
FAO Chief Qu Dongyu, lorded the Liberian leader for the support to FAO over the years, recognizing the role played by the President in agrifood systems transformation in Liberia through the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP), which boosted food security and economic growth.
The Director-General further congratulated the country for their growth in rice production and exports, and for promoting gender equality and women’s rights in agriculture.
The Director General once again reiterated the importance of the FAO’s flagship initiatives such as the Hand in Hand Initiative and the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) to develop the country’s investment plans, as well as the Green Cities Initiative that addresses the Government’s emphasis on climate mitigation and agroforestry, with a strong emphasis on youth and women empowerment in agriculture.