AGRICULTURE MINISTER RESPONDS TO GRAND CAPE MOUNT FARMERS, OUTLINES GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
GRAND CAPE MOUNT COUNTY — August 21, 2026: Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has outlined a series of government interventions aimed at addressing key challenges confronting farmers in Grand Cape Mount County, with emphasis on mechanization, processing, market access, extension services, agricultural financing and farm-to-market roads.
Dr. Nuetah visited the county at the invitation of the “Concern Farmers Association” of Tienii, Tewor District, where he held a town hall meeting with farmers to listen firsthand to their concerns and discuss practical government interventions to strengthen agricultural production.
During the engagement, farming communities presented the Minister with a 10-point set of recommendations highlighting their priority needs.
The recommendations included rehabilitating the former Agromingo site in Teh along the Robertsport Highway, constructing storage facilities and cassava processing centers, introducing mechanized farming, access to improved seeds, technical support and training for farmers, market linkages, financial aid like loans and grants, rehabilitating farm-to-market roads, equipment to shift from subsistence to mechanized farming, and establishing a farmers' contact office in the county.
Responding to the recommendations, Dr. Nuetah disclosed plans to bring in a Chinese investor to develop the former Agromingo site for agricultural production. He said the investment is expected to create employment while providing opportunities for local farmers to learn modern farming techniques.
“When the people come, and you are working with them, learn from them,” the Minister urged, encouraging farmers to apply the knowledge acquired to their own farms.
OIn the request for cassava processing and storage facilities, Dr. Nuetah said government support would increasingly be demand-driven, with investments targeted at organized and committed producer groups rather than establishing facilities without sufficient production to sustain them.
He encouraged cassava-producing groups and cooperatives to prepare proposals detailing their production and the support they require. Following assessment, viable groups could receive technical assistance and processing equipment.
“We are not just going to go around and start establishing factories, and then they become white elephants,” he said. “We want to see groups that are serious and actually involved in cassava production.”
Addressing the request for mechanized farming and equipment, the Minister explained that the government is shifting away from directly distributing agricultural machinery to individuals and communities due to maintenance and sustainability challenges.
Instead, the Ministry is establishing mechanization service centers where farmers can access tractors and other machinery at affordable rates. Dr. Nuetah said the government currently has 13 such centers across six counties, including a center being developed in Clay, Grand Cape Mount County.
On technical support and farmer training, Dr. Nuetah disclosed that the Ministry has increased the number of District Agriculture Officers from 47 to at least 96 nationwide as it works toward the national requirement of 109. The Ministry is also recruiting crop, livestock and data technicians to strengthen extension services at the local level.
He encouraged qualified residents of Grand Cape Mount to apply for the positions, noting that recruiting technicians from within the county would ensure that agricultural personnel remain in their communities and provide sustained support to farmers.
The Minister also reaffirmed government's commitment to creating exposure and learning opportunities for farmers. He cited the recent participation of three young Liberian farmers, one from Margibi and two from Lofa, in an agricultural learning visit to China, saying similar opportunities would be extended to lead farmers as they become available.
On market access, Dr. Nuetah stressed that reliable markets must accompany increasing production. He said the Ministry is pursuing arrangements that connect farmers directly with buyers, including planned interventions in coffee and cassava.
He disclosed that a cassava-processing factory currently under construction in Margibi County is expected to be completed later this year and will create additional demand for locally produced cassava to be processed into starch and other value-added products for export.
Addressing the farmers' call for financial support, the Minister acknowledged that access to affordable financing remains one of the most significant barriers to agricultural expansion. He said the government is working to establish a financing mechanism that enables viable farmers to access agricultural loans on more affordable terms.
On farm-to-market roads, Dr. Nuetah said county-based road equipment should prioritize critical routes connecting productive farming communities to markets. He added that agriculture projects with feeder-road components would complement county-level interventions as needs are identified.
The Minister welcomed the farmers' recommendations and emphasized that government interventions would increasingly prioritize farmers and organizations that demonstrate commitment, organization, and a willingness to produce commercially.
The town hall engagement provided an opportunity for the Ministry to listen directly to farmers, explain ongoing government interventions, and identify areas requiring additional support as part of efforts to increase domestic food production and improve rural livelihoods.
