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By: Laymah Kollie, LAEJN
MONROVIA – When the Smallholder Agricultural Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR-P) first launched, many farmers across the country saw it as a lifeline. For Robert Bimba, Executive Director of Community of Hope Agriculture Project -CHAP, with entrepreneurial vision, it was more than that. It was an opportunity to transform his vision and dream into a nationwide success story.
“This grant has been a blessing to us,” Bimba says, standing proudly beside bags of freshly packaged Liberian rice in his warehouse. “We didn’t get all we wanted, but what we got, we fully maximized. It created jobs and it’s still creating jobs.”
With support from the STAR-Project grant, Community of Hope Agriculture Project -CHAP expanded into a thriving agribusiness that now supplies high-quality rice to markets across Montserrado, while also launching projects in Bomi, Bong, and Margibi counties. Mr. Bimba didn’t stop at production; he established a rice processing facility that added value to his harvests and generated jobs for his community. His integrated rice mill in Montserrado now produces rice in one-pound, one-kilo, five-kilo, 15-kilo, and 25-kilo package sizes, chosen based on market research conducted by him and his team.
“For us, it’s a business, not a project,” he emphasizes. “We’re able to serve the Liberian market, we’re supplying the Armed Forces of Liberia, and we even got a contract to ship a container of rice to Kenya. South Sudan is asking for it too.”
Bimba’s journey has a broader impact than just his own business growth. By sourcing rice from local farmers and supplying both domestic and export markets, his company has created a ripple effect—raising incomes for smallholder farmers, decreasing Liberia’s reliance on imported rice, strengthening the country’s food security, and increasing local capacity for value addition. His brand, once unknown, is now recognized for quality and consistency, leading to partnerships with local retailers and agricultural cooperatives. Each new packaging size aims to make Liberian rice accessible to both urban shoppers and rural households, while also competing on the shelves of international buyers.
Bimba credits the grant as a catalyst that gives Community of Hope Agriculture Project -CHAP “the muscle” to access additional funding, produce local farm tools, and offer equipment training for farmers twice a year. These efforts, he emphasizes, strengthen farming communities and help them transition from subsistence to more semi-commercial production.
“There were constraints,” he admits. “Agribusiness is hard, it’s expensive, and you need the right people. We need to work on the gaps, improve visibility, document from start to end, and make sure the grantees who succeed can share their experiences with others. Let people learn from each other.”
From a policy standpoint, Bimba’s recommendations highlight a larger development conversation: treating agriculture financing as a business investment rather than a short-term project, selecting recipients with a genuine passion for farming, and strengthening communication between grantees, government, and development partners. His recommendations underscore the need for long-term thinking, accountability, and collaboration to truly transform the agricultural sector.
For the communities where his projects operate and are active, the benefits are tangible and the impact is clear: seasonal employment for youth, steady markets for rice farmers/growers, and hands-on training for equipment operators. On a national level, Bimba’s model demonstrates how targeted investment in agro-processing can bridge the gap between production and market demand, making Liberia more food secure while positioning it as an exporter.
Despite the hurdles, Bimba remains optimistic. “Liberian rice, nothing tastes like it,” he says with a smile. “We have the market, we have the capacity, and with the right support, we can feed this country and export to the world. This grant model is a good one. If we improve it, we can become champions for Liberian agriculture.”
As he looks ahead to the official launch of his expanded marketing outlets in November, Bimba’s message is simple yet profound: farming is not just about growing food; it’s about growing an economy one grain of rice at a time.
STAR-P is a multi-year agricultural development initiative in Liberia, spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture and financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank. The project targets rice, oil palm, and horticulture value chains, aiming to boost productivity and commercialization, create jobs, and strengthen agribusiness.
The project operates nationwide, reaching farmers in all 15 counties with targeted interventions that combine financial support, skills development, and access to markets. Priority is given to smallholder farmers, especially women and youth, who often face barriers to credit and commercial opportunities. With the matching grants, beneficiaries can invest in equipment, processing facilities, and improved agricultural inputs, while training programs build expertise and capacity in modern farming techniques, agribusiness management, and post-harvest handling. By linking producers directly with buyers, processors, and exporters, STAR-P helps farmers secure fair prices, reduce post-harvest losses, and transition from subsistence production to commercially viable enterprises.
Liberia’s National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) 2024–2030, launched under the “Liberians Feed Yourselves Agenda”, sets an ambitious path to transform the nation’s rice sector into a driver of food security, economic growth, and rural prosperity. At the heart of the plan is the goal of achieving 70% national rice self-sufficiency within five years, a milestone that would drastically reduce reliance on imported rice and ensure a more stable, affordable, and reliable domestic supply for Liberian households.
Currently, rice imports drain millions of dollars in scarce foreign exchange annually. By cutting imports by 70%, the NADP will not only save these resources but also channel them into critical investments such as rural infrastructure, farmer support services, and agricultural innovation. This redirection of resources is expected to generate a ripple effect across the wider economy, strengthening Liberia’s financial resilience and reducing exposure to global supply shocks.
Central to this transformation is the modernization of post-harvest management. The plan prioritizes the construction of modern rice mills, warehouses, and storage facilities across five major rice clusters, coupled with training in improved harvesting and handling practices. These measures are projected to reduce post-harvest losses by 15% within the first two years, ensuring that a larger share of farmers’ harvests reach the market in good quality. This not only increases the availability of rice for consumers but also improves efficiency and profitability along the value chain.
The NADP also emphasizes farmer empowerment through cooperatives, enabling producers to pool resources, access financing, and collectively negotiate better market prices. Combined with efforts to boost yields through improved seeds, irrigation, and mechanization, these structures will help farmers move beyond subsistence toward more commercial and profitable production.
By aligning higher yields, stronger cooperatives, better infrastructure, and market access, the plan anticipates a 30% increase in farmers’ incomes within five years. This income growth will translate into tangible improvements in rural livelihoods, enabling farming households to afford better healthcare, education, housing, and investment in their communities. Moreover, increased economic activity in rice-producing areas will stimulate local markets, create jobs, and foster inclusive rural development.
Ultimately, these interventions aim to build a more resilient and self-reliant national food system — one that reduces dependency on imports, empowers farmers, strengthens local economies, and positions agriculture as a cornerstone of Liberia’s long-term development.
