[Nimba County, Liberia – February 8, 2025] – Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to boosting rice production in Liberia following a four-day visit to Nimba County. At the end of his visit, Dr. Nuetah announced an increase in the county’s lowland rice cultivation target from 1,500 to 1,700 hectares, citing the strong motivation of local farmers to support the government’s national food security efforts under the “Liberians Feed Yourselves Agenda.”
The visit marked the official launch of the 2025 production season, an annual initiative to motivate farmers to expand food crop production, particularly rice. Speaking to local farmers and stakeholders, Dr. Nuetah emphasized the importance of self-sufficiency in rice production and outlined the Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts to support the sector.
“We are here to launch this production season and commit ourselves to supporting our farmers in realizing our target for this year, which is to cultivate an additional 6,500 hectares of lowland rice,” Dr. Nuetah stated. He highlighted that this initiative aligns with President Joseph Boakai’s vision of making Liberia 70% self-sufficient in rice production within five years, significantly reducing the nation’s dependence on imports.
Nimba, Bong, and Lofa Counties, recognized as Liberia’s major rice-producing regions, will collectively account for 70% of this year’s target: Nimba County: 1,700 hectares, Lofa County: 1,200 hectares and Bong County: 1,600 hectares. The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with development partners, will provide farmers with land-clearing support, mechanized farming tools, irrigation systems, and high-yielding rice seeds with a three-month maturity cycle to enhance productivity.
Dr. Nuetah emphasized that production targets could increase based on farmer participation. “We initially planned for 1,500 hectares in Nimba, but the strong motivation among farmers pushed us to raise it to 1,700 hectares.”
He expressed confidence in achieving these ambitious goals, recalling that Liberia successfully cultivated 4,000 hectares after the launch of the National Agriculture Development Program (NADP) in July 2024. 
With direct government intervention, the target has increased to 6,500 hectares in 2025, with even more significant expansion expected in the coming years. He further revealed that private-sector investors will finance an additional 20,000 hectares, further strengthening Liberia’s rice production capacity.
In addition to increasing production, Dr. Nuetah addressed one of the biggest challenges farmers face—market accessibility. During his engagements in Nimba, he met with rice processors and off-takers to establish sustainable market linkages. He announced partnerships with three major off-takers who will work directly with farmers to purchase paddy rice, ensuring a stable and profitable market for local producers.
At the current pace, Liberia is well on track to achieving its 50,000-hectare rice production target. With 4,070 hectares cultivated in 2024 and 6,500 hectares targeted this year, the country will have achieved 20% of the overall goal. Continued government support and private-sector investment will be key in sustaining this momentum