From Import Dependence to Food Sufficiency: Liberia’s Rice Revolution Begins with Seeds

Rice, Liberia’s staple, is a major socio-economic element in the West African coastal country. From everyday dish to the most elegant occasion, rice is part of the menu.  This cereal crop, according to reports, makes up nearly half of the calorie intake of adults, and accounts for about 15% of the overall spending of an average household in the country, according to a World Bank report. Also, rice goes beyond the tastiness factor. For some, it is a major source of livelihood. Families rely on rice production to meet their economic needs. Over 74% of smallholder household farmers are engaged in the production of the crop, but all on a subsistence level. Of the 809,000 tonnes of rice Liberia reportedly consumed in 2021, only 174,000 tonnes, about 21%, were locally produced, making the country heavily reliant on external producers like India, Pakistan, the United States, among others, to feed itself.

THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF HEAVY RELIANCE ON RICE IMPORTATION

Reliance on the importation of rice to compensate for the poorly performing rice sector is considered by experts to be an unsustainable long-term solution. Unforeseen shocks or crises close to the global food supply chain might significantly alter supply to Liberia, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, heavy reliance on importation also means economic leakage for the country. It is reported that Liberia spends 200 million dollars annually on rice importation. Also, heavy reliance on external producers is not a guarantee of food sufficiency in the country.  Food insecurity affects over 50% of households, according to UNICEF in Liberia, with 45% of deaths among children under age five caused by malnutrition.

The response

To curb these challenges, the Liberian government and development partners have enacted a series of strategies and actions over the years.  For example, national development plans like the National Rice Development Strategy II (NRDS II), National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) 2024–2030, and the ARREST Agenda for inclusive growth and sustainability launched by President Joseph N. Boakai are all frameworks orchestrating a revival of Liberia’s agriculture sector, including the rice sub-sector.  These plans generally aim to promote food sufficiency and nutrition-sensitive food systems, reduce rice imports, and accelerate local production.

One partner’s initiative is the EU-funded Seeds4Liberia Project. It is solidifying national efforts toward food security, but beginning with building resilient seed systems across strategic value chains like rice, cassava, coffee, soybean, and fish.  Additionally, the project is also engaging with rice stakeholders through capacity development activities, strengthening the capacity of private and community-based seed enterprises, enhancing quality assurance, increasing varietal turnover, and building the capacity of government ministries and agencies to strengthen Liberia’s rice seed system.

Moreover, the EU-funded initiative has so far achieved significant deliverables, being instrumental in the operationalization of the Seed Development and Certification Agency (SDCA), producing five tonnes of climate-resilient bio-fortified rice breeder seeds.  Currently, over 10 ha are planted with the following varieties: CY2, Orylux 6, IR841 (Lowland), and NERICA 4 in upland. A total of 25MT tons of foundation seeds is expected this cropping season, and the project is targeting 100MT by the end of 2026. The foundation seed produced will be distributed to well-trained private seed companies and community-based seed enterprises to produce and market 3,000 tons of certified seeds. In addition, ten upland accessions are going under an adaptive trial in different ecologies of Liberia. This adaptive trial is being done in collaboration with the Seed Development and Certification Agency.  The final top-performing varieties will be registered in the Liberia National Catalogue.

Liberia’s food sufficiency is on the horizon. Seed by seed the EU-funded Seeds4Liberia initiative is demonstrating that this is no longer a distant aspiration but a collective action to this multifaceted quest. Additionally, intentional collaboration among research institutions, policymakers, and communities will be essential in overcoming existing challenges and ensuring a resilient agricultural future. Through these efforts, Liberia stands in a nurturing position to develop a vibrant rice sector that does not only feeds its people but also becomes an economic beacon, empowering its people for generations to come.