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By LAEJN Editorial Team
The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), through its Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP), has expanded efforts to commercialize agriculture with the harvesting of cassava from two pilot cluster farms in Pokundu, Grand Cape Mount County, and Kakata in Margibi County.
The harvest represents the first major output from four pilot cassava cluster farms established under RETRAP, an initiative designed to transition farming from traditional subsistence practices to organized commercial production capable of supporting local industries and markets.
The cluster farming model, introduced under the project, brings together groups of 50 farmers working collectively on approximately 80 hectares of cultivated land per cluster. In 2024, project implementers deployed tractors to mechanize and prepare more than 320 hectares of farmland across the pilot locations, improving land preparation efficiency and productivity.
According to the RETRAP team, each cluster farm is expected to produce about 1,600 metric tons of cassava. The initiative also promotes the use of improved farming technologies, shared infrastructure, and coordinated marketing systems to help farmers increase output and income.
Speaking on behalf of Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, Deputy Minister for Planning and Development David K. Akoi described the harvest as a milestone in Liberia’s agricultural transformation agenda.
“Today’s harvest marks a turning point in our efforts to transform agriculture from subsistence farming into a commercially driven sector that creates income, jobs, and opportunities for rural communities,” Akoi said.
He added that the cluster farming approach is intended to strengthen value chain development by connecting farmers to reliable buyers and improving access to modern farming inputs.
RETRAP National Project Coordinator Galah Toto commended the farmers involved in the pilot projects, saying the quality of the cassava harvest reflected their hard work and commitment.
He indicated that the project intends to build on the success of the pilot phase by exploring additional areas for cassava production in 2026 as part of efforts to expand commercial agriculture across the country.
The project is also supported by market access partnerships aimed at ensuring that increased production translates into stable income for farming households.
The harvest event also highlighted ongoing collaboration between Liberia and international development partners in promoting local food production.
The Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Liberia, Dr. Agbessi Komla Amewoa, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to sourcing food locally for its programs.
He disclosed that WFP has not imported food for its operations in Liberia since 2023, explaining that the agency’s procurement strategy prioritizes local farmers.
Through the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, WFP currently purchases agricultural produce from about 15,000 smallholder farmers to support school feeding programs benefiting roughly 80,000 children nationwide.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Liberia’s food security agenda by increasing domestic food production, reducing reliance on imports, and improving livelihoods in rural farming communities.
Agriculture authorities maintain that the cassava cluster project forms part of broader government efforts to modernize the sector, promote commercial farming, and position agriculture as a key driver of economic growth.
The success of the pilot farms will guide future expansion of cluster-based production models across other parts of the country as Liberia pushes toward greater food self-sufficiency.
