ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire – Liberia has reaffirmed its commitment to boosting domestic rice production and reducing reliance on costly imports as government officials join agriculture ministers and experts from across the continent at the 34th Ordinary Session of the Africa Rice Council of Ministers (COM34) in Abidjan.
The three-day meeting held November 4–6 at the Noom Hotel, has brought together agriculture ministers, policymakers, researchers, development partners and representatives of regional institutions to explore strategies for transforming Africa’s rice sector and strengthening food security across the continent.
Liberia’s participation reflects growing national efforts to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen research institutions and expand investment in the rice value chain as part of broader food security and economic development objectives.
According to a dispatch from the Embassy of Liberia in Abidjan, the meeting was convened by the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), which invited Liberia to participate in the high-level policy discussions.
The Liberian delegation is led by Agriculture Minister Dr. Alexander Nuetah and includes Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) Director General Dr. Arthur Bob Karnuah and Senior Technical Advisor Lorenzo S. Nimley.
Rice remains Liberia’s most important staple food and a critical component of household consumption and the national economy. Yet domestic production continues to fall well below national demand, leaving the country heavily dependent on imports.
Data contained in Liberia’s National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) 2024–2030 show that the country imports approximately 300,000 metric tons of rice annually at a cost of about US$200 million. The plan further indicates that Liberia currently produces only about one-third of its total rice requirements.
The scale of the challenge is underscored by figures from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which estimated Liberia’s annual rice demand at approximately 650,000 metric tons in 2025. Domestic production, meanwhile, stood at roughly 240,000 metric tons of milled rice.
FAO also reported that annual per-capita rice consumption in Liberia is about 133 kilograms, one of the highest levels on the African continent.
The significant gap between consumption and local production continues to place pressure on foreign exchange reserves and exposes the country to international market volatility, supply chain disruptions and rising global food prices.
Liberia’s 2024 Annual Agriculture Production Survey further highlights the central role rice plays in the rural economy. According to the survey, more than 237,000 agricultural holdings cultivated rice across nearly 187,000 hectares, producing an estimated 201,074 metric tons.
Average yields remain relatively low at approximately two metric tons per hectare, underscoring the need for improved productivity through better farming technologies, enhanced extension services, improved seed varieties and greater access to agricultural financing.
Agricultural experts have long argued that increasing yields may offer one of the fastest pathways to narrowing Liberia’s production deficit. Expanding irrigation systems, strengthening mechanization, improving post-harvest management and ensuring access to quality inputs are also considered critical to achieving sustained growth in the sector.
On the margins of the ministerial meeting, Liberia’s delegation held discussions with policymakers, researchers and development partners to identify opportunities for collaboration aimed at strengthening the country’s rice industry.
The talks focused on agricultural research, innovation, climate-resilient rice varieties, technology transfer, irrigation development, capacity building and technical assistance. Officials also explored avenues for expanding institutional partnerships that could support Liberia’s long-term agricultural development agenda.
The government hopes such engagements will help accelerate efforts to improve productivity, strengthen agricultural value chains and increase income opportunities for farming communities nationwide.
Liberia possesses substantial agricultural potential, including fertile soils, abundant water resources and extensive inland valleys suitable for lowland rice cultivation. However, experts say unlocking that potential will require sustained public and private investment in rural infrastructure, farm-to-market roads, storage facilities, processing centers and mechanized farming systems.
Equally important is strengthening links between agricultural research institutions and farmers to ensure that scientific innovations translate into higher yields and improved livelihoods.
The Abidjan meeting also provides an opportunity for Liberia to deepen its relationship with AfricaRice, one of Africa’s leading agricultural research institutions.
The organization was established in 1970 as the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) by 11 African countries and began operations in 1971 with its original headquarters in Monrovia. Liberia was among its founding members, alongside Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
In 2009, the institution adopted the name Africa Rice Center, reflecting its expanded continental mandate. Today, it serves 28 African member states and operates as a member of the CGIAR global agricultural research partnership.
Over the years, AfricaRice has played a significant role in developing improved rice varieties, advancing sustainable farming practices and strengthening agricultural research networks across Africa. Among its most notable achievements was the development of New Rice for Africa (NERICA) varieties, which combine desirable characteristics of African and Asian rice species.
For Liberia, such innovations could prove instrumental in narrowing the gap between domestic production and national consumption while building a more resilient agricultural sector.
Across Africa, governments are increasingly prioritizing agricultural transformation as a means of reducing dependence on food imports, creating jobs, strengthening rural economies and improving resilience to global food supply shocks. Rice has emerged as a central component of that strategy because of its growing importance to food security and rural livelihoods.
For Liberia, participation in COM34 offers an opportunity to learn from successful experiences elsewhere on the continent while attracting technical support and investment partnerships that can help accelerate development of its domestic rice industry.
As the meeting concludes, Liberia’s engagement signals a renewed commitment to transforming its agricultural potential into increased food production, stronger rural livelihoods and greater national food security. Achieving those goals, however, will require sustained investment, effective policy implementation and continued support for the farmers who remain at the center of the country’s agricultural future.
