Liberian corn farmers urge government to invest in modern facilities to boost agriculture

LIBERIA – As the harvest season progresses across Liberia’s Nimba County, some of the region’s largest corn producers are raising concerns about the lack of government support in post-harvest handling, particularly the absence of modern storage and processing facilities.

Mr. Frederick Gonkartee, a prominent corn farmer in Nimba, is leading the call for the Ministry of Agriculture to prioritize the establishment of a corn processing plant and adequate storage infrastructure.

“For a nation to be strong in agriculture, there should be processing plants where farm products can be processed for value addition. This will help ensure higher prices for the produce,” said Gonkartee.

He emphasized that without storage and processing facilities, farmers are compelled to sell their harvests at low prices to avoid spoilage.

Gonkartee currently cultivates over 10 hectares of corn and anticipates a harvest of approximately 50 metric tons per cycle, three times a year.

However, he is concerned about the sustainability of this productivity without a reliable market and adequate infrastructure.

“This variety of corn takes 70 days to be ready for harvest. If there were a processing facility for corn, we could process it ourselves and create value-added products, such as animal feed,” he explained.

Drawing from his experiences visiting neighboring countries, Gonkartee pointed to examples where governments have invested in large warehouses that support local farmers.

Mary Gbahn, another farmer, echoed Gonkartee’s concerns. “Last year, I sold more than 10 metric tons of corn. If we had suitable storage and processing facilities, we could store the corn and process it for more profit,” she said.

Her statement is supported by evidence from last season, when poultry owners from across Liberia sought dry corn from Nimba for their birds. Unfortunately, most farmers, especially those near riverbanks, could not afford to wait for their harvests to dry.

“If there were good storage and processing facilities, we could have kept our corn stored until it was dry enough to process into poultry feed,” said Gonlee, a farmer near the Ivorian border.

The farmers are now calling on the Ministry of Agriculture and development partners to intervene by investing in agro-processing and storage solutions to transform subsistence farming into a profitable agribusiness.

“Good market linkages enhance productivity. The government must step in if we are serious about feeding our nation and reducing imports,” Gonkartee stressed.

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