Farmers Take Center Stage in Food Drive -Operation Feed the Nation launched nationwide

MONROVIA – With rising food import costs, persistent youth unemployment, and mounting pressure on foreign exchange reserves, Liberia’s renewed emphasis on agriculture reflects both economic necessity and political urgency. The launch of Operation Feed the Nation marks an effort to reposition farming from subsistence survival to a coordinated national enterprise driven by cooperatives, market access, and state support. By placing farmers at the center of policy and investment, the initiative aligns with the Boakai administration’s broader development agenda while confronting long-standing structural weaknesses that have constrained productivity. For many rural producers, the program represents a long-awaited signal that agriculture is finally being treated as a strategic pillar of national stability. The Analyst reports.

Liberia moved closer to food self-reliance on Friday, February 6, with the launch of Operation Feed the Nation, a nationwide agricultural campaign led by the World Foundation International (WFI) Multipurpose Agriculture Cooperative Inc. The program was officially unveiled at Monrovia City Hall, bringing together government officials, farmers, development partners, and youth representatives from across the country.

Held under the banner of transforming agriculture from a subsistence activity into a national economic enterprise, the well-attended ceremony highlighted the Boakai administration’s renewed focus on domestic food production, youth employment, and long-term economic independence.

Speaking on behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., Deputy Minister for Public Affairs at the Ministry of State, Anthony V. Kesselly, underscored agriculture’s central role in Liberia’s inclusive development agenda.

“Liberians must grow what we consume and consume what we grow,” Kesselly said, drawing applause from farmers representing all 15 counties. He described agricultural cooperatives as critical tools for increasing output, improving processing, expanding market access, and strengthening national food security.

Kesselly also commended the resilience of Liberian farmers who, for years, have operated with limited access to essential inputs, infrastructure, and reliable markets. He noted that the establishment of WFI’s cooperative structure comes at a pivotal moment, aligning with national priorities to boost production of key crops including rice, cassava, cocoa, and vegetables.

“This effort goes beyond a routine project,” he stressed. “It is a national undertaking.”

Farmers Willing, Systems Lagging

Setting a candid tone, WFI-MAC President and Chief Executive Officer Lincoln Z. Cooper offered a blunt assessment of the challenges holding back Liberia’s agricultural sector.

According to Cooper, the country’s continued dependence on imported food is not the result of farmer apathy or land scarcity, but rather the absence of supportive systems and logistics.

“Our farmers are prepared and capable,” Cooper said. “What is missing are the structures—mechanization, storage, irrigation, feeder roads, and organized market systems—to allow them to succeed.”

Addressing an audience that included lawmakers, traditional leaders, youth groups, and international partners, Cooper emphasized that with the right investments, Liberian farmers can meet the nation’s food needs and reduce reliance on imports.

“The land is there, and the determination is there,” he said. “But the logistics have not kept pace.”

He explained that WFI-MAC was established to place farmers at the center of development by organizing them into cooperatives, reducing post-harvest losses, and transforming small-scale farming into a sustainable national industry.

Each locally produced bag of rice, Cooper noted, conserves foreign exchange, while empowering farmers directly reduces poverty and strengthens national sovereignty.

Agriculture as an Economic Engine

Reinforcing the broader economic argument, National Investment Commission Chairman Jeff Blibo urged Liberians—particularly young people—to rethink agriculture’s role in national development.

“Agriculture should not be viewed as marginal,” Blibo said. “It is the backbone of Liberia’s economy.”

He pointed out that the sector links land, labor, capital, value addition, and exports, making it one of the country’s most promising avenues for growth. Initiatives such as Operation Feed the Nation, he added, help attract investors by providing structure, scale, and predictable market access.

Blibo challenged young Liberians to see farming not as a fallback option, but as a strategic and profitable career path capable of generating income and national stability.

A Farmer-Centered Cooperative Model

Earlier in the program, WFI Board Chairman Dr. John Wulu described Operation Feed the Nation as a long-term commitment to rural transformation rather than a short-lived intervention.

He disclosed that WFI has begun registering over 50,000 farmers into a national database designed to connect producers to inputs, markets, financing, and development opportunities.

“Our objective is straightforward,” Dr. Wulu said. “To help farmers and vulnerable rural communities achieve self-sufficiency and economic independence.”

He acknowledged persistent rural challenges, including limited access to healthcare, clean water, housing, and extension services, and said the cooperative model is designed to address these gaps in an integrated manner.

“This initiative belongs to the farmers themselves,” he emphasized, adding that success will depend on collective responsibility, transparency, and discipline.

Farmers from Lofa, Grand Kru, Cape Mount, Nimba, and other counties filled the hall, many wearing cooperative attire and holding placards bearing the slogan Feed the Nation. For many participants, the launch symbolized renewed hope that agriculture will finally receive sustained investment, policy attention, and national respect.

As Liberia continues to grapple with high food import bills and rising youth unemployment, Operation Feed the Nation places farmers at the heart of a broader national conversation—one that reframes agriculture as a source of dignity, stability, and pride, rather than mere survival.

Reflecting on the day’s events, a farmer from Bong County captured the mood succinctly:

“Give us the opportunity, and we will deliver.”

On Friday in Monrovia, that opportunity appeared to begin taking shape.