Liberia Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compact.

Liberia's Food and Agriculture Delivery Compact is a strategic document designed to boost local agricultural productivity across four key value chains: rice, rubber, cassava, and livestock. Its core mission is to rectify existing irregularities in the sector, reduce the nation's heavy reliance on food imports, and foster crucial inter-ministerial coordination within agriculture. To achieve these ambitious goals, the Compact outlines significant investments in flagship projects. These include initiatives in mechanized and irrigated agriculture, as well as the production of livestock feed and organic fertilizers. Specifically, for the rubber value chain, the government plans strategic investments in manufacturing and primary processing. The cassava value chain will see efforts focused on increasing productivity on existing farmlands through accessible high-yielding planting materials and improved access to agri-food markets. Furthermore, the government is committed to implementing policies that safeguard land rights and to restoring and developing essential agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation systems. This comprehensive plan aligns with two Liberia's broader agricultural strategies (1) the second generation of the Liberia Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (LASIP II, 2018-2023). This plan underscores the government's commitment to economic diversification, prioritizing agriculture and supporting critical value chains like rice, rubber, cassava, and livestock; and (2) the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD, 2018-2023), recognizing equitable and sustainable economic diversification, private sector engagement, and the agri-food industry as vital engines for national economic growth.
Liberia, vulnerable due to its high reliance on imported staple foods, particularly rice, faces exacerbated challenges from global crises and rising domestic prices; to combat this, a new Compact aims to significantly boost local food production and reduce import dependency by focusing on the abovementioned four key agricultural value chains. The flagship initiative aims to transform the rice sector through large-scale commercial production, targeting 75% of national demand and zero imports by 2028. This will be achieved by developing an additional 20,000 hectares of irrigated lowlands for increased paddy rice output, supported by mechanized agriculture and feed/fertilizer production projects. Beyond rice, the Compact includes strategic investments in rubber manufacturing for socio-economic impact, increased cassava productivity and market access through improved processing, and ambitious livestock goals to boost meat and egg production, reduce reliance on imported feed, and cut frozen chicken imports. Achieving these aims relies heavily on government commitments to irrigation development and the comprehensive implementation of the Land Rights Act to ensure clarity, while also addressing challenges like potentially higher local production costs and consumer preference for imported rice through policy solutions and public awareness campaigns.