Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) Promote informed journalism and public engagement on agricultural and environmental nalists Network (LAEJN)
By: Nukanah Kollie, LAEJN Bong Coordinator /IFAJ Fellow
GANTA CITY, NIMBA COUNTY— The commercial hub of Ganta, situated in Nimba County, came alive with produce, livestock, and innovation as farmers, researchers, agribusinesses, cooperatives, and policymakers from across Liberia gathered for the 2025 National Agriculture Fair. Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture with support from development partners, the fair once again demonstrated that Liberia’s journey toward food security and agricultural transformation is steadily gaining ground.
The event served as a national platform for showcasing local production, scientific research, private-sector innovation, and farmer resilience, while creating space for dialogue between producers and decision-makers on the future of Liberia’s food system.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., officially opened the fair, describing agriculture as the backbone of Liberia’s growth and a direct pathway to stronger communities and national prosperity. He noted that the fair reflects the resilience and creativity of Liberian farmers and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to placing producers at the center of development. Citing recent economic improvements, President Boakai pointed to a World Bank report showing 4.0 percent economic growth last year, with agriculture expanding by 3.4 percent, driven largely by gains in rubber production and rice yields.
The President emphasized that increased production must be matched with improved market access, stressing the importance of feeder roads in reducing transport costs and opening rural communities to opportunity. He highlighted ongoing and planned investments in rural road rehabilitation and disclosed that by 2026 Liberia is expected to have 13 agricultural mechanization service centers nationwide to ease labor burdens, particularly for women. Calling on young people to see agriculture as a modern, technology-driven sector, President Boakai encouraged youth participation in agribusiness, digital agriculture and climate-smart practices, while urging Liberians to support local producers and work toward national food self-sufficiency.
A Fair with Deep Roots
Liberia’s National Agriculture Fair traces its origins to 1956, when early agricultural exhibitions were introduced to promote local food production, farmer learning and national self-reliance in the post-independence period. Over the decades, the fair has evolved into an annual, ministry-led platform aimed at linking farmers to markets, exposing new technologies, promoting research adoption, encouraging youth participation in agriculture, and strengthening dialogue between farmers and policymakers.
Hosting the 2025 edition in Ganta, Nimba County, one of Liberia’s most productive agricultural regions reinforced the county’s strategic role as a breadbasket for rice, cassava, vegetables, poultry and tree crops.
Farmers at the Center: Voices from the Field
Across the exhibition grounds, farmers proudly displayed rice, cassava, vegetables, poultry products, spices and processed foods. For many participants, the fair offered their first opportunity to showcase produce beyond their local communities and engage directly with national institutions.
Grace N. Davis, a farmer from Nimba County, explained that her group cultivates rice, cassava and other crops using both lowland and upland farming systems. While welcoming the exposure, she used the platform to appeal for stronger government support.
“We feel proud to be here, but farmers still need real support,” Davis said. “We need tools, materials and protective equipment, especially for swamp farming. Climate change is also affecting us through irregular rainfall and crop losses.”
From Grand Bassa County, Alex Barbu, CEO of the Friends of Farmers Cooperative, described the fair as a gateway to markets and partnerships. “This program exposes farmers to branding, value addition and market linkage,” he said, noting that access to finance remains a major challenge for cooperatives.
Stephen D. Kollie, a young agripreneur from Bomi County engaged in poultry and horticulture, emphasized the importance of consuming locally produced food. “Our soil is rich. We can grow what we eat and live healthier lives,” he said, while calling for improved road networks and storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.
CARI at the Center: Science Driving Productivity
One of the major highlights of the 2025 fair was the strong presence of the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), which showcased research-backed solutions designed to respond directly to farmer and consumer needs.
Joseph Ndebeh, Rice Breeder and Head of the Rice unit at CARI, explained that years of consumer-preference surveys and field trials have led to the development of early-maturing, aromatic rice varieties suitable for Liberia’s changing climate.
Among the showcased rice varieties were Orylux- 6, an AfricaRice- developed aromatic variety that is tolerant to iron toxicity and can be harvested within 80 to 85 days; C12, also adapted from AfricaRice and maturing in about 120 days; and V4 (CARI Aromatic Rice), a locally bred variety developed over nearly a decade of research. The V4 variety matures in about 90 days, is climate-resilient, aromatic and remains non-sticky after cooking.
“The V4 variety can replace traditional Suakoko rice,” Ndebeh said. “Instead of waiting five months, farmers can harvest in three months and even produce up to three cycles a year, improving food security and income.”
Cassava Innovation and Multiplication
CARI also showcased improved cassava varieties introduced through collaboration with international partners such as the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Using SAH (Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponics) Cassava Multiplication is a fast, cost-effective technology using trays with a moist, artificial substrate (like peat/vermiculite) and controlled conditions to grow disease-free, high-quality cassava plantlets from single-node cuttings. The institute is rapidly producing disease-Tree planting materials to increase availability for farmers.
Key cassava varieties on display included Game Changer, Baba 70, TME 693/Poundable, Dixon/ TMS 98/0581, TMS 95/0289, are climate-resilient and high-yield Varieties; Game Changer, known for its high starch content and suitability for gari and fufu; and Poundable 693 from the TME series, which is versatile for boiling, pounding and other processing purposes.
“These varieties mature in about eight months and are climate-resilient,” Kou Lah explained, adding that more than 50 improved cassava varieties are currently maintained at CARI.
Beyond rice and cassava, CARI presented orange-fleshed sweet potatoes to promote improved nutrition, alongside yam, aloe vera, turmeric, cocoa seedlings, coffee and organic fertilizers. The displays highlighted the importance of crop diversification and nutrition-sensitive agriculture as key strategies for addressing malnutrition while boosting household incomes.
As the 2025 National Agriculture Fair drew to a close, one message resonated clearly: Liberia has the land, research capacity and people to feed itself. What farmers continue to call for is sustained investment, better roads, storage facilities, access to finance, certified seeds, machinery and continuous training.
