By O’Neill A.R. Philips
Government has earmarked the development of 40 acres in the Southeast for coconut production. The exercise is in a rare, but viable economic drive to modernize coconut cultivation.
Agriculture Minister, Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah made the disclosure in Greenville, Sinoe County on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, while touring the Southeast region.
in the process, Nuetah said, 10 acres have already been identified in River Cess County, and about 22,000 coconut seeds are on nursery for subsequent distribution to farmers.
Similarly, 10 acres each in Sinoe, River Gee, Grand Kru and Maryland counties, are under review for subsequent coconut nurseries.
“The coconut seed gardens will be established on government land, so they remain a public resource. Once the trees begin producing, the seedlings will be distributed to farmers free of charge.”
The government, Nuetah said, has also made provision for a delivery of about 50,000 coconut seeds at a rate of US$5. to be planted on the coconut nurseries in the four counties.
He said, the move will modernize coconut cultivation in the region for economic empowerment.
Dr. Nuetah said 100 hectares of low land (swamp) for rice production is been supported by the Ministry through the Smallholders Transformation Agribusiness Revitalization Project (STAR – P).
Also, he called on the farmers to engage in pepper planting, “since the Ministry has located investors in Asia (China and Turkey) to purchase the Liberian-grown pepper on a large scale.”
Nuetah assured the farmers of government’s support should they engage in pepper farming, adding: “we will give you the seedlings and dryers to prepare your pepper.”
On the other, he promised to provide the rice seedlings and pepper varieties to the farmers without a cost to them.
The tour was part of the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) to make Liberia a food self- sufficient country.