An initiative to revitalize coffee sector has been launched officially.
Liberia Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) expanded a nursery project in Lofa, Bong and Nimba counties.
LACRA Director General, Dan T. Saryee, said the institution in collaboration with IITA, has developed over 140,000 premium Coffee Liberica seedlings.
The variety, indigenous to West Africa, is being scaled up to position Liberia as a key player in the specialized global coffee trade.During a recent town hall meeting in Lofa County, farmers celeb rated the initiative, recognized it as a milestone for their communities. Beneficiaries expressed immense gratitude to the Unity Party administration. They noted that the launch marks the first time since the end of the civil war that a government will supply coffee seedlings to farmers in Lofa. Saryee expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress. He said, the substantial number of seedlings indicates Liberia’s readiness to reclaim its position in the global coffee market. “The availability of over 140,000 seedlings is LACRA’s way of saying we are ready to revive the coffee sector. Once distributed, we expect all beneficiaries to take full advantage of these unique opportunities. The initiative is not just about farming; it’s about growing the economy, and directly improve the welfare of our farmers to earn more from their sales.” Saryee extended gratitude to IITA for its vital role in the initiative.
“IITA has been an invaluable partner in this project, and we cannot move forward without acknowledging their unwavering support.” Additionally, Saryee commended the dedicated staff of LACRA, praised the team members, who worked to turn the nursery project from vision into a successful reality. The distribution of the 140,000 seedlings marks the first major phase of a long-term economic strategy to empower farmers and boost national export revenue.
The multi-county distribution is to begin in the coming months, to provide rural farmers with essential resources to increase production, build long-term financial security and support national agricultural agenda. LACRA is responsible for regulating, promoting, and expanding agricultural commodities, maximizing market value for traditional cash crops, including coffee, cocoa, and oil palm.
IITA is assisting LACRA in implementing the project as a leading research-for-development institution focused on addressing hunger, poverty and natural resource degradation in Africa by delivering sustainable agricultural innovations.