Agricultural production in Liberia is primarily based on rainy agriculture, which depends on the rainy season from April to November. Over 80% of Liberia’s 4.5 million population relies on small-scale subsistence agriculture, and rice functions as a staple food crop. For centuries, traditional shift cultivation, which requires both heavy rain and sunlight, has been the main agricultural method in the West African country.
Climate change presents challenges for Liberia as the country is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Like many other countries in Africa, Liberia is already tackling environmental and sustainable development challenges. Because its geographical location makes Liberia very susceptible to extreme weather events, coastal effects of sea level rise, and disruption and availability of water systems.
Climate change also poses a serious threat to new development priorities in Liberia. In agriculture, key climate-related risks are associated with changes in rainfall patterns and increased rainfall during key periods of growth, which can lead to reduced crop yields.
The FAO Country Programming Framework for the Republic of Liberia from 2016 to 2019 revealed that it has launched several policy frameworks to influence the agricultural sector with the aim of energizing agricultural activities, contributing to inclusive and sustainable economic development and growth, and providing food and nutritional safety and employment. The aim of this project was to promote technical options for farmers to increase productivity and farmers’ resilience to the negative impacts of climate-related changes.
Liberia’s Agriculture Ministry acknowledges that rising temperatures and water shortages, which have been exacerbated by climate change, can exacerbate agricultural conditions. Alvin Wesse, Regional Development Research and Expansion Advisor at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the “dry season” in Liberia has been longer than the rainy season for several years, causing water shortages to Liberia’s agricultural areas, causing low temperatures.
According to him, this rise in temperature could lead to sea level rise, which could possibly lead to death of plant species. Wesse did not mention what the Agriculture Department and its partners are doing to address the challenges posed by climate change and extreme extremes in the agricultural sector.
Harara Willie Kokuro is the director of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Land Development and Water Resources Division. He has graduated from the University of Liberia with a Bachelor of Science in General Agriculture and a Master’s degree in Integrated Basin Management from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, serving as a major technical focus poison in land and water resource management.
Kokulo is concerned that disruption in weather patterns will lead to increased invasions into shallow marsh and wetlands, and there may be less production and distribution shortages.
“Before you think about transporting it for distribution elsewhere, you need to have enough or surplus in your area. Low rainfall is a serious production challenge for countries like Liberia that do not have good agricultural irrigation and water management (water harvesting) systems,” Kokuro says.
He added: “Yes, we are heading towards such a production crisis if we don’t have the right mechanisms in place considering water as a natural resource like forests and other minerals.
The engineer further argues that “the global warming situation in countries with inadequate water management programs” and that he “will suffer a severe decline in food production.” Liberia has not yet submitted appropriate mitigation measures nationwide for agriculture
The United Nations Office for Food and Agriculture (FAO) says that while the Liberian government is developing several policies on agriculture, food security and nutrition, it lacks the political will, resources and capabilities (institutions, humans) to ensure sustainable agricultural policies and programme implementation.
According to the FAO, there is no sector communication strategy along with other related issues such as policy support, advocacy and dialogue. Currently, FAO supports the development of the country’s National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP). National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP) 2024-2030.
“Liberia has not yet met the requirements following negotiations under the Bali Action Plan that ended at COP 18 in Doha. Under the agreement, developing countries like Liberia are expected to implement appropriate mitigation measures (NAMAs) nationwide in the context of sustainable agricultural development aimed at mitigating the climate impact on the food chain,” the UN Office for Food and Agriculture told journalists in 2022.
He added that since December 2012, Liberia has not yet submitted raw materials. In contrast, countries such as Ghana, Gabon, Madagascar and Gambia aim to act in multiple sectors for a policy aimed at transformative change within the agricultural sector, or for a broader national focus.
Former Agriculture Minister Madame Jenny Cooper said climate change is causing environmental havoc around the world, adding that poor countries like Liberia face important challenges, with limited financial and technical capabilities or adapted or mitigated. She said many Liberians have turned to imported rice, causing rice production to be lower. The situation is becoming more difficult for the citizens.
According to African, the country has the highest per capita consumption per year (approximately 133 kg per year) in Africa. To meet the high demand, Liberia imports approximately 300,000 tonnes a year, costing an estimated USD 200 million.
Also known as Gbedin Station or Gbedin Station, Gbedin is a village and agricultural center located in the San Nikeliman district of Nimba County in northeastern Liberia near the Guinea border, halfway between Ganta and San Nikeli. The area is known for its resettlement program supported by the US Bureau and the US Department of Agriculture. The Gbedin project, which began in the 1950s, aims to settle farmers on the land and organize them into semi-communal groups.
Farmers in Gubedin, Nimbha County, have expressed concern that climate change has led to low rice yields in recent years. Additionally, they highlight the lack of suitable agricultural tools that hinder their ability to improve productivity and improve harvests.
“The crop farming calendar is affected here in the community due to the effects of gradual climate change. Climate change has been a limiting factor on rice production throughout the year. This impact has made Gubedin farmers interested in rice production. Leamon said many farmers in the community are discouraged due to lower yields over the past two farm seasons compared to the past few years.
“We’re tired of planting rice because it’s no longer our harvest. As a result, our agricultural group has significantly reduced membership,” he pointed out.
On a surprisingly hot and sunny night on July 30, 2023, 15 dependents sit vaguely as Saye Paye on Gbedin. This kind of weather is surprising as it had not been experienced before in Liberia in July.
As climate change continues to have a negative impact on rice production, Saye says life in the community can’t stand it in recent years. As a result, he said, “Gubedin’s high-yield rice attracted me and brought my family from my hometown in 1996. Life went well for Saye and his family from their homeland until 2015 when the climate caused low yields of rice planted by his group of farmers.
“After harvest season, we will not eat food for three months and the only option is to buy imported rice. I am forced to feed a cup of rice with my family every day. This is a serious financial burden for me.” Saye is thinking about moving with my family to another location to keep my family. The region adds that it is only good for agricultural activities affected by climate change. Similarly, the Kpatawee Rice production site in the central region of Liberia in Bonn County has lost workers and is affecting the economic activity of the community.
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Kpatawee farmers argue that early rice production was good and that high yield production at harvest has been changing over the years.
Agricultural researcher Johnson Davis said the small number of farmers engaged in agricultural productivity have little interest in rice production, which is attracting government attention.
However, Chinese rice experts run irrigation agriculture projects at Gbedin. Currently, Chinese rice technology is being introduced in other parts of Liberia. A cooperative of six farmers, each with five acres of land, was organized in Gedin and trained by Chinese experts.
The suitability of swamps for rice cultivation has prompted the government to seek technical assistance in implementing modern farming methods to local rice farmers in order to discourage changing cultivation. This site is currently used for subsistence agriculture (rice).
In Liberia, investing in the agricultural rice value chain is one of the most effective ways to end hunger, improve nutrition and promote economic growth and development in the country. This can only be done if the Ministry of Agriculture and Partners cooperate in mitigating the impact of climate change on Liberia’s rice production. I think China-Africa relations and the climate crisis could intervene. Johnson Katiama, an agriculture student at Liberia University, says China can help train Liberian farmers to grow rice with sustainable land management.
