Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) Promote informed journalism and public engagement on agricultural and environmental nalists Network (LAEJN)
By Editorial Team
Over 60 participants, including women farmers, agri-business entrepreneurs, processors, and policy makers, gathered at the Amazing Plaza in Paynesville City on Monday, April 14, 2025, for a one-day policy dialogue aimed at amplifying women’s participation in Liberia’s agricultural value chain.
The event, themed “Leveling the Field: Enhancing Women’s Participation in Agricultural Value Chain Development,” was organized by the Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) in collaboration with GROW-2 Liberia, a program dedicated to inclusive and sustainable agricultural growth funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Monrovia.
The dialogue served as a vital platform for women across the agriculture sector to voice their challenges and propose policy-driven solutions to ensure equitable participation in agricultural development. It also fostered direct engagement between grassroots actors and key decision-makers.
In her welcome address, Estelle K. Liberty, National Coordinator of the Liberia Agriculture and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN), set the tone for the day’s discussions with a passionate call to action.
“Today is not just a gathering; it is a testament to our recognition of the invaluable role that women play across the agricultural value chain—from planting and harvesting to processing, marketing, and distribution. We are also here to confront the barriers that continue to limit their access to resources, financing, land, markets, and decision-making spaces,” Liberty said.
She highlighted alarming statistics that reflect the deep gender disparities in the sector. Although women constitute approximately 70% of Liberia’s agricultural labor force and are responsible for producing over 60% of the country’s food, they own only about 13% of the land and have access to less than 10% of formal credit facilities.
Further, Liberty referenced a 2023 Ministry of Agriculture gender analysis report revealing that women contribute to 93% of Liberia’s food crop production, including staples such as rice and cassava, and cash crops like cocoa and coffee. Despite this, women remain grossly underrepresented in leadership positions and suffer from limited access to essential agricultural inputs, training, and extension services.
“These gender-based challenges are not just a women’s issue—they threaten national food security, rural development, and economic progress,” she emphasized.
Liberty also underscored the burden of unpaid domestic labor, noting that over 80% of rural women shoulder caregiving responsibilities, reducing their time and capacity to engage in income-generating or innovative agricultural activities.
Representing LAEJN, she affirmed the network’s commitment to amplifying the voices of rural women and championing evidence-based advocacy for gender-responsive agricultural policies. “This dialogue is about asking bold questions, challenging outdated systems, and committing to reforms that empower women and build stronger, more resilient food systems,” she said.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Agriculture Minister for Planning and Development, David Akoi emphasized the critical role of women in Liberia’s agricultural sector. Minister Akoi highlighted the indispensable contribution of women to Liberia’s economy and food security.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of Liberia’s economy,” Minister Akoi declared, stressing its role in job creation, food security, and rural livelihoods. He underscored that despite comprising 65% of the agricultural labor force, women encounter significant challenges, including limited access to land, finance, markets, and necessary tools.
Minister Akoi lauded President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s proactive measures to advance mechanized farming across Liberia. He announced the construction of eight mechanization hubs in key counties, designed to provide affordable access to essential equipment such as power tillers and tractors. This initiative aims not only to modernize agriculture but also to alleviate the physical burdens on women and youth while boosting productivity.
However, Minister Akoi cautioned that mechanization alone is insufficient. He outlined four national priorities integral to the “Liberians Feed Yourselves Agenda,” urging equal access to resources, investment in education and training, enforcement of women’s rights, and fostering strategic partnerships for inclusive agricultural programs.
“The ‘Liberians Feed Yourselves Agenda’ hinges on empowering women in agriculture,” Minister Akoi emphasized passionately. He called upon policymakers, development partners, and community leaders to dismantle barriers hindering women’s full participation and ensure their voices are heard in decision-making processes.
Minister Akoi rallied stakeholders to champion this transformative vision, asserting that empowering women in agriculture is not merely a moral imperative but a strategic pathway towards achieving national food security, economic development, and environmental sustainability in Liberia.
Also speaking at the one-day agriculture policy dialogue involving women, Dr. Charles Sackey, Chief Technical Advisor for the UNIDO/GROW-2 Project in Liberia, emphasized the need for inclusive leadership within agricultural cooperatives and equitable financial access for women across all regions in Liberia.
Dr. Sackey emphasized that while women form the majority of Liberia’s agricultural workforce, they remain underrepresented in the leadership structures of cooperatives and face significant barriers to financial services—a gap that continues to limit their full potential in the agricultural value chain.
He pointed out that most agricultural cooperatives and producer groups are still dominated by male leadership, even though women contribute significantly to production, processing, and marketing. This imbalance, he argued, not only marginalizes women’s voices but also weakens the sustainability and inclusiveness of cooperative development.
Equally important, Dr. Sackey stressed, is addressing the urban-rural divide in financing access. While urban-based women agripreneurs may have more options for microloans, banking, and private investments, their rural counterparts often struggle to access even the most basic credit services—largely due to lack of collateral, digital illiteracy, or weak cooperative structures.
“Rural women who are deeply engaged in farming, processing, and local agribusiness deserve the same opportunities to scale their work as those in urban centers. Access to finance must be balanced between rural and urban women to fully unlock the potential of our agricultural value chains”, Dr. Sackey underscored.
Dr. Sackey commended the Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) for convening the policy dialogue and elevating women’s voices in agriculture. He urged stakeholders—government agencies, donors, financial institutions, and civil society—to implement tangible reforms that recognize women not just as beneficiaries but as strategic leaders and investors in Liberia’s food system.
His remarks resonated strongly with participants, many of whom shared lived experiences of being excluded from leadership roles or denied access to capital despite years of dedication to agricultural production. The call for balanced leadership and inclusive finance emerged as one of the key takeaways from the dialogue.
Throughout the day, panel sessions and group discussions explored key issues such as access to finance, land tenure security, cooperative development, value addition, and market access. Recommendations centered on the need for targeted investment in women-led agribusinesses, gender-sensitive extension services, and greater representation of women in decision-making spaces.
About LAEJN
The Liberia Agriculture and Environmental Journalists Network is a professional body dedicated to advancing agricultural and environmental reporting in Liberia. LAEJN also advocates for sustainable development and inclusive policy solutions that amplify the voices of rural communities, especially women in agriculture.
