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By Josiah Pailay and Nathan Kollie
GBARNGA, Bong County – The Liberia Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA), in collaboration with the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the European Union, and other development partners, has launched a major nationwide initiative to revive Liberia’s indigenous Coffee Liberica industry through the distribution of hundreds of thousands of improved coffee seedlings to farmers.
The first phase of the exercise, carried out in Bong County on July 28, forms part of a government-led program that aims to restore Liberia’s position as the birthplace of Coffee Liberica while rebuilding the country’s coffee value chain after decades of decline.
LACRA said the initiative will provide approximately 750,000 Coffee Liberica seedlings to thousands of farmers in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Bomi, and Montserrado counties. The distribution marks the first nationwide government-supported coffee seedling program since the end of Liberia’s civil war and represents one of the country’s largest investments in coffee rehabilitation in recent decades.
The project seeks to increase national coffee production by establishing new plantations, rehabilitating aging farms, strengthening farmer organizations, expanding extension services, improving processing and quality standards, and connecting farmers to profitable domestic and international markets.
Coffee Liberica originated in Liberia during the nineteenth century and remains one of the country’s most important indigenous agricultural commodities. The variety is internationally recognized for its large beans, distinctive smoky and fruity flavor profile, and tolerance to high temperatures and certain diseases. Liberian Coffee Liberica attracted international attention after receiving acclaim at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, United States, helping establish Liberia’s reputation in the global coffee trade.
However, Liberia’s once-thriving coffee industry suffered a sharp decline following years of civil conflict, during which many plantations were abandoned, coffee trees aged without replacement, and rural infrastructure deteriorated. Limited investment, weak extension services, inadequate processing facilities, poor road networks, and restricted access to finance and export markets further reduced production and weakened the country’s competitiveness.
Today, agriculture remains the backbone of Liberia’s economy, with coffee identified as one of the country’s priority export commodities alongside cocoa, rubber, palm oil, rice, and cassava.
Agricultural experts believe revitalizing the coffee sector could generate thousands of rural jobs, improve household incomes, diversify export earnings, promote climate-resilient farming, and strengthen national economic growth.
Speaking during the distribution ceremony, LACRA Director General Christopher D. Sankolo described the initiative as a transformative investment in Liberia’s agricultural future.
«”This initiative by the government is intended to rebrand our indigenous Coffee Liberica, position Liberia as a competitive global producer, and restore pride in our agricultural heritage,” Sankolo said.»
According to Sankolo, the program is designed to rebuild national coffee production while creating new economic opportunities for rural communities through value addition, commercialization, and increased exports.
He said coffee nurseries have already been established in several counties, with plans to expand the initiative to additional districts nationwide. LACRA will deploy technicians to work directly with farmers by providing technical guidance on nursery management, field establishment, irrigation, crop maintenance, and modern coffee production practices.
Sankolo noted that the project will be implemented in phases, beginning with Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Bomi, and Montserrado counties before expanding to other parts of the country. He emphasized that decentralizing technical support and agricultural resources is essential to ensuring farmers nationwide benefit from the government’s coffee revitalization agenda.
The LACRA Director General acknowledged that coffee production requires patience and long-term investment, noting that farmers can generally expect their first commercial harvest within three to four years after establishing their plantations. Despite the waiting period, he expressed confidence that sustained investment and technical support could enable Liberia to regain a strong position in the international coffee market by 2030.
He further disclosed that the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and partner institutions, is working to improve access to agricultural machinery, transportation, and production equipment to support the cultivation of coffee alongside cocoa, rice, soybeans, and other strategic commodities.
Speaking on behalf of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dr. Ranjana Bhattacharjee, Senior Scientist at IITA, praised the collaboration among partner institutions, describing the project as a significant milestone for Liberia’s agricultural development.
She revealed that the initiative had already surpassed its original target. Initially designed to distribute 400,000 seedlings, the project had expanded to approximately 750,000 seedlings following months of intensive nursery development and coordination carried out between December and July.
Dr. Bhattacharjee commended LACRA, CARI, ITC, the European Union, and the project’s technical team for their commitment to rebuilding Liberia’s coffee sector.
She recognized the contributions of researchers, extension specialists, and development partners, including Dr. Moloa, Dr. Adolo, who works on coffee and tree-crop development, Dr. Michael, lead of the Seed for Liberia Project, and Ms. Hawa of the International Trade Centre.
Officials from LACRA, CARI, IITA, and partner institutions stressed that restoring Liberia’s coffee industry will require sustained investment beyond seedling distribution. They identified continuous farmer training, improved disease management, access to finance, quality planting materials, rural roads, irrigation systems, processing facilities, storage infrastructure, certification, branding, and stronger market linkages as critical components of a competitive coffee value chain.
Beneficiary farmers welcomed the initiative, describing it as one of the most significant government interventions in Liberia’s coffee sector in decades. Many said the seedlings provide an opportunity to restore abandoned coffee farms, improve household incomes, create employment for young people, and build sustainable family livelihoods through commercial agriculture.
Several farmers noted that agriculture remains one of Liberia’s strongest pathways to economic empowerment and urged the government and development partners to continue providing technical assistance after the seedlings are planted to ensure long-term success.
The launch of the Coffee Liberica revitalization initiative marks a significant step toward rebuilding Liberia’s coffee industry. With stronger collaboration among government institutions, research organizations, development partners, cooperatives, and farmers, stakeholders believe Liberia is laying the foundation for a modern, competitive, and export-oriented coffee sector capable of reclaiming its historic reputation as the home of Coffee Liberica while contributing meaningfully to rural transformation, national food security, and economic development.
