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By: Wilmot Konah
Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Alexander Nuetah, has unveiled plans for a dedicated program to empower young people in agriculture, signaling a strategic shift in the country’s efforts to revitalize its struggling food system.
Speaking at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AGRF 2025) in Dakar, Dr. Nuetah disclosed that the Ministry of Agriculture is restructuring one of its existing projects to carve out a youth-focused component. The initiative, he said, is intended not only to provide young farmers with funding and logistical support but also to reposition agriculture as a viable career path for Liberia’s youthful population.
Liberia’s agricultural sector, which employs more than 70% of the population, continues to face systemic challenges, including limited access to finance, weak infrastructure, inadequate mechanization, and a dominance of subsistence farming. Youths, who constitute over 60% of the country’s population, are particularly disadvantaged in this sector due to a lack of collateral, limited access to modern farming technologies, and weak market linkages.
According to Dr. Nuetah, the Ministry aims to address two interrelated issues: the country’s high unemployment rate and its persistent food insecurity. Dr. Nuetah emphasized that preference will be given to young people who are already demonstrating initiative in farming but lack the resources to expand.
Liberian youths often perceive agriculture as unattractive compared to opportunities in urban centers or the public sector. However, global trends, including climate-smart agriculture and agri-tech solutions, demonstrate that agriculture can be both profitable and innovative when integrated with modern practices. The Ministry’s strategy to create youth-specific funding and logistical support may therefore be an attempt to rebrand agriculture in Liberia as an entrepreneurial venture rather than a subsistence activity.
If successfully implemented, the program could contribute to reducing rural-to-urban migration, a trend that has historically strained urban infrastructure while leaving vast tracts of arable land underutilized.
Liberia’s unemployment rate—particularly among the youth—remains among the highest in the region. Agriculture, with its potential for value addition across the supply chain, offers one of the fastest routes to job creation. The new program is thus framed as a dual-purpose intervention: tackling joblessness while boosting domestic food production.
Liberia continues to import the bulk of its staple foods, particularly rice, costing the country hundreds of millions of dollars annually. By empowering youth farmers, the Ministry aims to increase domestic production and reduce dependency on imports. However, experts caution that youth empowerment alone will not solve the problem unless complemented by infrastructure investments, market linkages, storage facilities, and favorable policies for agribusinesses.
Dr. Nuetah expressed optimism that the initiative marks a turning point for Liberia’s agriculture. He argued that youth-focused interventions could catalyze broader transformation, attract private sector investment, and create pathways for agribusiness growth nationwide.
“The young people in Liberia remain our priority,” Dr. Nuetah said. “We call on our youths to get involved now, because preference will be given to those already making strides in the sector.”
The anticipated program could represent a new era of inclusive agricultural growth in Liberia—one that harnesses the energy and innovation of young people to feed the nation and stimulate economic development.
