FAO Director-General Launches Two Major Agriculture Initiatives in Liberia

The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Dr. Qu Dongyu, today launched two flagship initiatives—the Hand-in-Hand Initiative and the One Country, One Priority Product (OCOP) programme—at a ceremony held in Monrovia. As part of the OCOP launch, Liberia has officially selected Coffea Liberica as its priority commodity.

The introduction of these initiatives marks a significant step forward in advancing Liberia’s agricultural transformation agenda. Coffea Liberica, a rare coffee species indigenous to Liberia, was chosen for its exceptional characteristics and strong potential in the international specialty coffee market. With this selection, Liberia becomes the first African nation to introduce a coffee product under the OCOP framework.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Qu emphasized the importance of the moment for the country’s food systems:
“This is an important moment for Liberia’s agrifood transformation. Our focus is on real, measurable results — and farmers are at the heart of this change.”

Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, welcomed the partnership and highlighted the broader economic opportunity it presents:
“We thank FAO for the collaboration. Coffea Liberica will drive new jobs, attract investment, and become a symbol of innovation and economic empowerment for Liberians.”

Through the Hand-in-Hand Initiative and OCOP, Liberia aims to:

• Strengthen climate-resilient agriculture
• Increase productivity and market competitiveness
• Expand agribusiness opportunities and job creation
• Enhance its position in the global specialty coffee market

The launch underscores the growing collaboration between FAO and the Government of Liberia and reaffirms a shared commitment to making agriculture a driver of inclusive and sustainable national development.

FAO Director-General Meets President Boakai, Reinforces Support to Liberia’s Agricultural Transformation

 President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. today met with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Mr. Qu Dongyu, at the Executive Mansion for high-level discussions aimed at accelerating Liberia’s agricultural modernization agenda.

The FAO Director-General was accompanied by a senior delegation including Deputy Director-General Mr. Godfrey Magwenzi, Chief Economist Dr. Maximo Torero, Assistant Director-General Dr. Abebe Haile Gabriel, Mr. Yang Hau, Ms. Lineo Molise, and Mr. Hong Shen. FAO Liberia representatives and the UN Resident Coordinator, Christine .N. Umutoni , were also present. 

President Boakai welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation for FAO’s longstanding partnership with Liberia, emphasizing his administration’s commitment to unlocking the country’s vast agricultural potential. He underscored that Liberia is now ready to “harvest what has been planted over the years,” with a renewed focus on modernization, commercialization, and ensuring national food security.

Mr. Qu commended Liberia’s renewed drive toward agricultural development, noting the country’s rich natural endowments, including the distinctive Liberica coffee variety with strong global market potential. He reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to strengthening technical and financial cooperation with Liberia, particularly in enhancing value chains, boosting farmer resilience, and promoting youth engagement in agriculture.

The Director-General also highlighted opportunities for expanded collaboration through China’s Academy for Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS), which can support research, training, and technology transfer to enhance productivity and innovation across Liberia’s agricultural sector.

Mr. Qu reiterated FAO’s readiness to support Liberia’s priorities in seed systems development, climate-smart agriculture, and expanding market access for local commodities.

President Boakai thanked the Director-General and his team for their continued support and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to working closely with FAO and development partners to ensure agriculture becomes a key driver of economic growth and national prosperity.

The FAO DG also met with UN Country during his visit.