Coffee Farmers Get Support | Columns

Liberia has taken a significant step toward reviving its once-thriving coffee industry after the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) officially launched the nationwide distribution of 750,000 coffee seedlings, marking the beginning of an ambitious campaign to restore the country’s position as a leading producer of its indigenous Liberica coffee.

 

The initiative which was launched on July 28, 2026 in Gbarnga forms part of the Government of Liberia’s broader plan to expand coffee production and grow more than five million Liberica coffee trees by 2030. 

 

The launch brought together officials from LACRA, the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), AfricaRice, the Farmers Union Network of Liberia and other agricultural partners, all of whom pledged to work closely with farmers to rebuild the country’s coffee value chain.

 

Speaking during the official launch, LACRA Director General Christopher D. Sankolo described the programme as the beginning of a national effort to transform coffee into one of Liberia’s leading export commodities once again.

 

He thanked development partners, researchers, technicians and farmers for supporting the initiative, stressing that farmers remain the centre of the country’s agricultural recovery.

 

“If the farmers are not there, we cannot be there,” Sankolo said. “Everything we do depends on our farmers.”

 

The Director General recalled representing Liberia at international coffee conferences in Dubai, Addis Ababa and other global forums, where he promoted Liberia’s unique Liberica coffee.

 

He said investors expressed strong interest in the country’s indigenous coffee variety after learning about its distinctive qualities, but many were surprised to discover that Liberia exported only about 117 tonnes of coffee in 2024.

 

According to Sankolo, the low production figures highlighted the urgent need to rebuild Liberia’s coffee sector after decades of decline caused largely by years of civil conflict and the abandonment of plantations.

 

He explained that following those international meetings, LACRA decided to prioritize coffee development in its 2025 budget by establishing nurseries across Liberia.

 

Although the initial target was one million seedlings, budget considerations led the authority to begin with approximately half a million seedlings before eventually increasing production beyond expectations.

 

The programme has now produced around 750,000 seedlings through collaboration between LACRA, CARI, IITA and other partners.

 

Sankolo urged farmers not to repeat mistakes made during previous agricultural interventions, particularly the distribution of cocoa seedlings that were reportedly neglected and left to die.

 

He said every coffee seedling distributed under the new programme would be monitored by agricultural technicians who would provide farmers with continuous technical support and guidance.

 

“We don’t want this dream to die,” he told farmers. “Take these seedlings seriously because your success will encourage us to do even more.”

 

He announced that future nursery development would be decentralized, allowing technicians to establish nurseries directly within farming communities rather than transporting seedlings over long distances.

 

The initiative will initially benefit farmers in Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Bomi and Montserrado counties before expanding to additional coffee-growing regions.

 

Sankolo said Liberia possesses fertile soils capable of supporting commercial coffee production across the country.

 

He added that coffee farming offers long-term economic opportunities, noting that Liberica trees begin generating commercial returns within three to four years and can remain productive for several decades.

 

According to him, a mature Liberica tree can produce up to ten kilograms of coffee beans annually under proper management.

 

The LACRA Director General also highlighted Liberia’s historical connection to world-class coffee production.

 

He recalled that Liberian coffee won international recognition during an exhibition in the United States in 1876, demonstrating that the country’s indigenous Liberica coffee has long enjoyed global recognition for its quality.

 

“The world wants Liberica coffee,” Sankolo said. “Our production may be low today, but the quality of our coffee remains exceptional.”

 

He reaffirmed LACRA’s commitment to supporting the government’s target of planting more than five million Liberica coffee trees by 2030 and restoring Liberia’s presence in international coffee markets.

 

Senior Scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr. Ranjana Bhattacharjee, speaking during the event said the seedling distribution exceeded the project’s original target of 400,000 seedlings.

 

She attributed the achievement to strong collaboration between LACRA, CARI, IITA and development partners under the European Union-supported Seeds for Liberia Project.

 

Bhattacharjee praised LACRA Deputy Director General Godia Alpha Kortu Gonglee for helping expand the programme beyond its original scope.

 

She also recognized the efforts of technicians and researchers who collected hundreds of kilograms of coffee seeds from farms across Liberia to establish the country’s new nurseries.

 

According to her, scientists conducted DNA fingerprinting on Liberia’s coffee varieties to accurately identify and classify different Liberica, Arabica and Robusta plants.

 

The research, she explained, will enable farmers to receive certified planting materials while improving traceability for international markets.

 

Bhattacharjee further revealed that laboratory analysis found Liberia’s Liberica coffee possesses bean quality comparable to the globally popular Arabica variety.

 

She said the findings could create new opportunities for Liberica to gain greater acceptance in international markets as consumer demand for specialty coffee continues to grow.

 

“Our next step is to take Liberica to the world market so that Liberian farmers can earn more income from this unique coffee,” she said.

 

Deputy Director General for Research Programmes at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), Dr. Quaqua S. Mulbah, described the initiative as an important contribution to Liberia’s economic transformation agenda.

 

He said agriculture remains central to the government’s development strategy, with coffee identified as one of Liberia’s priority export commodities.

 

Mulbah urged farmers to carefully manage the seedlings, emphasizing that their commitment would determine the programme’s success.

 

“You are the ones who will transform these seedlings into productive farms that generate income for your families and foreign exchange for Liberia,” he said.

 

Earlier, CARI’s Tree Crops Lead encouraged farmers to take ownership of the seedlings and work closely with extension officers who will continue providing technical support after the distribution.

 

Researchers also confirmed that several distinct Liberica coffee varieties have now been scientifically identified, allowing future planting materials to be accurately classified according to their genetic characteristics.

 

LACRA Deputy Director General Godia Alpha Kortu Gonglee said technicians will supervise the distribution process, train farmers on proper planting methods and regularly monitor the farms to improve survival rates.

 

He explained that beneficiaries were selected mainly through cooperatives and urged additional farmers to organize themselves into cooperatives to benefit from future interventions.

 

Gonglee stressed that the programme extends beyond seedling distribution by providing technical training, field demonstrations and continuous monitoring to ensure long-term success.

 

Officials announced that after the launch in Bong County, similar distributions will continue in Nimba, Lofa, Montserrado and Bomi counties, while additional farmer training on climate-smart coffee production, agroforestry and good agricultural practices is expected later this year.

 

The programme represents one of Liberia’s most ambitious coffee revival efforts in recent decades and reflects growing confidence that the country’s indigenous Liberica coffee can once again become a major export commodity.

 

With improved research, certified planting materials, technical support and strong collaboration between government institutions and international partners, officials believe Liberia is positioning itself to reclaim its historic place on the global coffee map while creating sustainable income opportunities for thousands of farming households.