Women Farmers Urge Government to Boost Local Food Production and Reduce Import Dependence

June 22, 2026

By Lazota Bility

Monrovia: Women farmers in Liberia are calling on the government and development partners to increase investment in agriculture, arguing that stronger support for local food production is critical to reducing the country’s dependence on imported food and strengthening national food security.

According to the women farmers, Liberia has the land and human resources needed to feed itself but continues to rely heavily on imported agricultural products, a situation they believe can be reversed through increased support for local producers, particularly women.

Women remain at the center of Liberia’s agricultural sector, producing staple crops such as rice, cassava, vegetables, plantains, and other food crops that sustain households and communities across the country.

Their contributions improve food security, generate income, and support rural livelihoods.Despite their role, women farmers continue to face barriers including limited access to land, financing, farming equipment, storage facilities, agricultural training, and extension services.

The concerns were raised on Thursday June 19, 2026 during a one-day National Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue on Women’s Access to Affordable Healthcare, Agriculture, Finance, and Trade Opportunities organized by SisterAid Liberia and its partners under the Liberia Electoral Support Project (LESP) of the European Union Delegation.

The event brought together women farmers, healthcare practitioners, cross-border traders, policymakers, civil society actors, and development partners to discuss barriers affecting women’s economic participation and development.Participants emphasized that strengthening women’s access to resources is essential to improving agricultural productivity and reducing Liberia’s dependence on imported food.

Speaking on the realities facing women in agriculture, Madam Nyamah Dunyan, Chief Executive Officer of SANKOFA Farm and a mother of seven, said women have long driven agricultural production in Liberia but continue to receive limited recognition and support.“Our largest market is horticulture, particularly vegetables.

We produce both local and foreign vegetables for the Liberian market. We also grow cassava, sweet potatoes, plantains, bananas, and pawpaw.

In addition, we raise animals, cultivate rice and corn, and are expanding into beans and other grains,” she said.She noted that negative perceptions about farming continue to discourage investment in the sector.“People often assume farmers are uneducated or dirty, which is not true,” she said.

“These perceptions undermine the dignity and value of the work women farmers do.”Madam Dunyan further highlighted challenges including limited access to credit, modern farming equipment, storage facilities, housing, and technical support services.

Despite these challenges, she said women farmers continue to contribute significantly to employment and local food production, noting that SANKOFA Farm alone employs more than 50 workers.

Speaking during the dialogue, SisterAid Liberia Executive Director Madam Miatta Garmai Darwolo said the forum was designed to amplify women’s voices and identify practical solutions to challenges limiting their economic empowerment.

She commended the Government of Liberia for recent interventions aimed at improving the welfare of women and vulnerable populations, including investments in healthcare infrastructure, rural road development, and the inclusion of health workers on the government payroll.

Madam Darwolo, however, noted that significant challenges remain, particularly in access to healthcare, financing, agricultural resources, and economic opportunities.

She emphasized the need for stronger collaboration among government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, and the private sector to ensure women are fully empowered to contribute to national development.

Responding to concerns raised during the forum, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting women farmers through grants and cooperative development programs.

“We hear your concerns and we know some of the problems,” Dr. Nuetah said. “As I sit here, I know the government is committed to making sure our farmers are empowered.”

He noted that the Ministry is already supporting women-led farming groups and cooperatives to improve productivity and strengthen livelihoods.Dr. Nuetah stressed that agriculture remains central to Liberia’s development, adding that increasing domestic food production is a national priority”.

Liberia has more land, but we are still importing peppers from Mali, a desert country,” he said. However, he cautioned that progress in the sector also depends on accountability and proper management of resources.

“We recruited farmers to empower, but some of them misused the money,” he noted”.