Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture proposes partnership with IITA to address its agricultural agenda

In a country with a population of over 5 million, agriculture serves as the primary source of livelihood for more than 60 percent of Liberia’s population, with crops like cassava, maize, and rice. While the country has abundant arable land, according to the Africa Union Liberia Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compact, around 15 percent of the population is food insecure as production is at subsistence level.

With the agenda to address the challenges inherent in the Liberian food systems and agriculture sector, Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture, Alexander J. Nuetah, paid an exploratory visit to IITA, where he learned about the existing technologies transforming agriculture across Africa.

Meeting with IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr Simeon Ehui, to discuss ways to leverage IITA’s research for Liberia’s food security, Minister Nuetah called for strategic collaborative efforts that will ensure IITA’s research provides technical backstopping for Liberia’s national research systems.

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