Liberia is taking decisive steps toward re-entering the international coffee market as production of its indigenous coffee species, Coffea Liberica, gains momentum across several counties.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA)—the government agency responsible for regulating coffee, cocoa, and other agricultural commodities aims to revive Liberia’s coffee sector and position Liberica coffee as a premium export product on the global stage.
As part of the project, large-scale coffee nurseries have been established in Bong, Nimba, and Lofa Counties, marking a major milestone in efforts to rebuild the country’s coffee industry.
The nurseries are intended to supply high-quality Liberica coffee seedlings to local farmers, thereby boosting national production and strengthening the entire coffee value chain.
During a partners’ site visit to one of the nurseries in Bong County on February 3, 2023, LACRA’s Deputy Director General for Operations and Technical Services, Alpha Gongolee, provided an update on the progress made across the three locations. He reported that all sites have taken shape, with shade houses constructed and polythene bags properly filled and neatly arranged in preparation for seedling development.
According to Mr. Gongolee, the rapid progress is a testament to effective coordination and commitment by LACRA and its partners.
He noted that the construction of shade houses, as well as the filling and arrangement of thousands of polythene bags across the three counties, was completed in less than three months.
The site visit brought together key development partners, including Seeds4Liberia, the European Union (EU), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, underscoring the strong collaborative framework supporting the coffee revitalization effort.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Deputy Minister for Technical Services Solomon Williams expressed appreciation to the LACRA team for what he described as a strategic and timely intervention. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s full commitment and collaboration to ensure the success of the Liberica coffee project.
Deputy Minister Williams emphasized the importance of the coffee value chain, noting that coffee production has the potential to generate employment, improve livelihoods, and contribute significantly to Liberia’s agricultural transformation agenda.
Representatives of the European Union, in their remarks, applauded the progress made so far but urged LACRA to sensitize farmers on environmentally responsible planting practices, particularly the need to safeguard forested areas and avoid deforestation as coffee cultivation expands.
Once fully developed, the coffee seedlings from the nurseries will be distributed to local farmers across the three counties to enhance Liberica coffee production.
Partners on the visit also took time to sample and testify to the distinct flavor profile of Liberica coffee, highlighting its unique taste and aroma, which set it apart from the more common Arabica and Robusta varieties.
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