Liberia is taking a bold step toward strengthening its agricultural future with the upcoming Seed Sector Investment Roundtable, a high-level platform designed to mobilise financing, partnerships, and innovation for a resilient and competitive seed industry.
Scheduled for April 30, 2026, at the Royal Grand Hotel, Monrovia, the Roundtable brings together government leaders, development partners, financial institutions, private sector actors, and research organisations to accelerate the implementation of Liberia’s National Seed Roadmap and Investment Plan.
A Timely Intervention for Food Security
Across Africa, food systems continue to face mounting pressures from climate change, global conflicts, and economic shocks. Recent disruptions—from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia–Ukraine war, to the ongoing Middle East crises – have exposed vulnerabilities in agricultural supply chains, particularly access to quality seeds and inputs.
In response, the African Development Bank launched the African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF), with the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) playing a central role in delivering solutions at scale.
Through TAAT-led interventions, millions of farmers across the continent have gained access to certified seeds and productivity-enhancing technologies – helping to boost yields, strengthen resilience, and improve livelihoods.
Building on Momentum: The Liberia Seed Roadmap
Liberia’s Seed Roadmap and Investment Plan aligns with the country’s National Agriculture Development Plan (2024–2030) and its broader agricultural transformation agenda.
Developed through a government-led Seed Summit in 2024, the roadmap identifies priority value chains critical to food security and economic growth, including: Rice, Cassava, Maize, Soybean and Aquaculture.
These value chains are central to improving nutrition, strengthening food systems, and supporting industries such as livestock and poultry.
Ambitious Targets for Growth
The roadmap sets out clear production and investment targets:
- Rice: Scaling certified seed production to over 6,000 MT by 2030
- Cassava: Expanding planting materials to 50 million cuttings
- Maize: Increasing production to nearly 190,000 MT
- Soybean: Growing a new value chain to support feed and nutrition systems
- Aquaculture: Doubling fish production through improved fingerlings
These targets are backed by significant investment needs, creating opportunities for both public and private sector participation.
Strengthening the Seed System
Liberia has already made notable progress through the Operationalisation of the Seed Development and Certification Agency (SDCA), the adoption of ECOWAS-aligned certification systems, the introduction of a national seed quality seal, the registration and training of private seed companies, and the deployment of improved, high-yielding crop varieties.
These efforts are laying the foundation for a transparent, market-driven seed sector capable of meeting national demand and participating in regional trade.
Why the Investment Roundtable Matters
Despite this progress, a major gap remains: coordinated investment. The Seed Sector Investment Roundtable aims to bridge this gap by showcasing investment-ready opportunities, connecting government priorities with private capital, promoting public–private partnerships (PPPs), aligning donor and development finance support and accelerating the commercialisation of seed systems.
The Roundtable will feature diagnostic sessions, investment pitches, deal structuring discussions, and B2B engagements, creating a results-oriented platform for actionable commitments.
Driving Partnerships for Impact
Participants will include Government ministries and national institutions, Development partners such as the World Bank, FAO, IFAD, and the EU, International Financial institutions and commercial banks, private seed companies and agribusinesses, and research organisations and farmer groups.
This diverse coalition reflects a shared commitment to transforming Liberia’s agriculture through collaboration and innovation.
The Roundtable is expected to deliver increased investment in seed systems, expanded access to quality seeds for farmers, stronger public–private partnerships, improved productivity and food security, reduced dependence on food imports, enhanced livelihoods and rural incomes, and a platform for transformation.
The Liberia Seed Sector Investment Roundtable, according to the organisers, represents more than a meeting – it is a strategic turning point.
“By aligning policy, finance, and innovation, Liberia is positioning itself to build a resilient, inclusive, and market-driven agricultural system – one where quality seeds serve as the foundation for food security and economic growth,” they stated.