Minister Nuetah Unveils “One County, One Priority Commodity” Program to Drive Inclusive Agricultural Growth

[Ganta, Liberia, December 16. 2025]— Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has announced a new national agricultural approach titled “One County, One Priority Commodity,” aimed at building Liberia’s agricultural sector based on local strengths, community ownership, and competitive advantage.

Dr. Nuetah made the announcement at the close of the National Agriculture Fair (NAF) in Ganta, Nimba County, emphasizing that the Ministry’s vision is not to impose uniform agricultural activities across all counties, but to support each county in excelling at what it does best.

“When we took over at the Ministry of Agriculture, we came with a vision of developing agriculture based on competitive advantage,” Dr. Nuetah said. “We do not believe that every county can do the same thing and do it well.”

He explained that while the Ministry has supported major value chains such as rice and cocoa, field experience over the past year and a half has revealed the need for a more people-driven approach—one that listens to farmers and communities.

“Maybe we need to know what the people want. They need to start telling us what they can do well,” he noted. “Our responsibility as a government is to support you to do what you are good at, not to tell you what to do.”

Under the new program, each county will be encouraged to identify one priority commodity, such as crops, livestock, fisheries, or non-traditional products like honey or potatoes, based on local capacity and environmental suitability.

“If Gbarpolu County can do honey well, then honey should become its elite commodity,” the Minister said. “If another county is good for potatoes, livestock, fisheries, or coconut, we will support that county to develop the full value chain and attract investment.”

Dr. Nuetah acknowledged that some of these commodities were not fully captured in the National Agriculture Development Plan due to limited grassroots engagement. He cited the southeast’s strong grazing potential and fisheries opportunities as examples of untapped advantages that can be unlocked through community-led planning.