The Government of Liberia has told the international community that it needs a massive US$243 million investment to transform its rice sector, increase local production and drastically reduce the country's dependence on imported rice.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday by Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah during Liberia's presentation at the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum currently taking place in Rome, Italy.
According to Minister Nuetah, Liberia's current domestic rice production meets only 35 to 40 percent of the national demand, leaving a huge deficit that is filled through costly importation. As a result, the country spent more than US$75 million importing rice in just the first six months of 2026 — from January to June — a situation he described as unsustainable for food security and the national economy.
The proposed US$243 million rice investment, he said, will be used to address the key bottlenecks facing the sector. This includes the development of large-scale irrigation systems, introduction of mechanized farming to replace subsistence methods, construction and rehabilitation of modern rice mills to reduce post-harvest losses, and the expansion of lowland and upland rice cultivation across the country.
Minister Nuetah explained that the rice project is not standing alone, but is part of a comprehensive US$370 million agriculture investment portfolio that the government has developed to transform four major value chains.
In addition to rice, the portfolio includes:US$70 million for Cocoa: To increase production, improve quality, and invest in local processing and value addition to earn more from exports.
US$32 million for Cassava: To move beyond primary production into industrial processing for starch, animal feed, and other by-products.
US$25 million for Maize: To boost production to support Liberia's growing poultry and livestock industries, which currently depend on imported feed.
The Minister noted that when fully implemented, these investments will not only increase food availability but will also create thousands of jobs for young people and women, empower smallholder farmers, strengthen the agricultural value chain, and position agriculture as a major driver of economic growth.
He therefore used the global platform in Rome to make a passionate call to international investors, financial institutions, development partners and leading agribusiness companies to come and invest in Liberia's agriculture sector.
"This is a call for genuine partnership. Liberia has the land, the water and the people. With the right investment, we can feed ourselves, reduce our import bill, and even become a net exporter of food," Minister Nuetah told delegates.
The FAO Hand-in-Hand Forum brings together governments, investors and private sector leaders to match investment opportunities with funding for agricultural transformation in developing countries.