The Republic of Liberia is set to forge a strategic agricultural partnership with Jigawa State to strengthen domestic rice production, reduce import dependency, and bolster food security across West Africa.
The plan emerged on Tuesday evening when Liberia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, David Akoi, led a delegation to Governor Malam Umar Namadi at the Government House in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.
Akoi said Liberia — where rice is consumed three to four times a day — currently imports about 70% of its rice needs, a situation the government is determined to reverse.
“Our goal is to produce at least 70% of our own rice. Liberia’s president sent us here to learn from Jigawa’s success in building a sustainable rice value chain,” Akoi explained.
Rice as Politics and Survival
The deputy minister recalled Liberia’s volatile history with rice shortages, citing the 1979 “rice riots” that sparked nationwide unrest and contributed to the overthrow of President William R. Tolbert.
He stressed that rice is not just a food staple but a political and economic lifeline for Liberia.
“Partnering with Jigawa is about more than farming — it is about national stability, economic transformation, and regional food security,” he said.
Jigawa’s Rapid Rise in Rice Farming
Welcoming the delegation, Governor Namadi said Jigawa’s agricultural sector has undergone a dramatic expansion.
- Production area grew from 60,000–70,000 hectares in 2023 to over 200,000 hectares in 2024.
- The state aims to reach 300,000 hectares in 2025 and contribute 50% of Nigeria’s rice needs by 2030.
Namadi credited irrigation farming as the cornerstone of this success, with rehabilitated dams adding more than 4,500 hectares of irrigated land.
Mechanisation and Farmer Support
The governor outlined Jigawa’s heavy investment in modern agricultural equipment:
- 300 new tractors
- 60 combined harvesters
- 150 planters
- At least 10 tractors in each of the state’s 30 constituencies, available at subsidised rates for smallholder farmers.
“Our focus on irrigation and mechanisation has increased yields, created jobs, and reduced the climate impact on farming,” Namadi said.
