Liberia Celebrates World Fisheries Day with EU Highlighting Funded Project’s Impact

Buchanan, Grand Bassa County –In the coastal city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, government officials, students, fishmongers, artisanal fishers, and government development partners joined the global community in celebrating World Fisheries Day – the first time the day was officially celebrated by Liberia’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA).   

The Seeds4Liberia project was represented by WorldFish, one of the project’s implementing partners. Also, the project’s donor organization, the European Union Delegation to Liberia, was represented by its head, H.E. Dr. Nona Deprez, who emphasized her organization’s commitment to supporting Liberia’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

In her speech, she reminded the audience of Liberia’s fisheries potential for economic growth, job creation, food security, and nutrition, stating that the building blocks for achieving these goals already exist and will be built upon.  

“ I stand here in the coastal town with communities around us, and I also feel the potential of fisheries in terms of contribution to the economy, job creation, food security, and nutrition security. Of course, we know that there is a lot to be done, but the building blocks exist – the community is there, laws and regulations are in place, and Government structures are being developed and strengthened locally and nationally. This is indeed a very good foundation,” said H.E. Dr. Deprez.

A key highlight of her speech was the Seeds4Liberia project, funded by the European Union. The project supports national development strategies and supports fisheries and aquaculture to improve food security and boost economic growth in Liberia.

“ So you see it here on the banner, this is a project which is called Seeds4Liberia, and the part that is implemented by WorldFish looks at having quality fry and fingerlings for an efficient and effective aquaculture. This will also strengthen food safety by improving inspection, testing, and certification, and by developing standards and norms to support business development for fish farmers and artisanal fishers.

The EU-funded Seeds4Liberia project aims to enhance the value chains of rice, cassava, coffee, soybeans, and fish by addressing challenges such as human capacity development and the lack of certified seed. It focuses on strengthening farmers’ capacities, private seed enterprises, and government agencies, delivering significant quantities of certified seeds and quality fingerlings throughout their lifespan. 

AfricaRice, the lead implementing institution of the project, is partnering with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and WorldFish to implement the EU-funded Seeds4Liberia in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI),  National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA), and the Liberia Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA). 

As Liberia looks to the future, World Fisheries Day reminded us that the country’s waters contain more than just fish—they embody the potential for progress, resilience, and opportunity.

The celebration included an overview of Liberia’s fisheries and aquaculture sector, remarks from local fisheries actors and development and donor partners, and an exhibition where attendees learned more about fish species and the history of Liberia’s fisheries and interacted with local fisheries. Fisheries actors and development partners were encouraged to continue collaborating to ensure that the sector is a sustainable agent for Liberia’s development.