Stakeholders from across Liberia’s agriculture and development sectors who gathered in Monrovia on Monday, April 14, 2025 for a One-day Inclusive Gender Policy Dialogue on Agriculture emerged from the forum with a strong consensus and a set of actionable resolutions directed at the Ministry of Agriculture to mainstream gender and ensure that women are empowered across all levels of the agricultural value chain.
The dialogue was organized by the Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) in collaboration with the UNIDO/Grow 2 Project, funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia. The event attracted a diverse group of participants, including women farmers, leaders of agricultural cooperatives, civil society actors, development partners, private sector players including key representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture. Gender and Commerce and Industry.
Throughout the day, discussions centered on the structural and institutional barriers that limit women’s access to resources, decision-making platforms, and economic opportunities within the agricultural value chain. Participants underscored the need for deliberate policies and practical mechanisms that foster gender equity, economic empowerment, and sustainable growth.
The event culminated in a set of bold resolutions and action points directed at the Ministry of Agriculture, aimed at transforming Liberia’s agricultural landscape into a more inclusive and equitable sector.
Participants strongly recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture work with financial institutions and development partners to develop and operationalize a dedicated financing mechanism tailored to the specific needs of women farmers and agribusiness owners.
The Gender-Responsive Agricultural Financing Facility (GRAFF) should provide accessible credit, grants, and guarantee schemes, featuring simplified loan requirements, flexible collateral terms, and gender-sensitive risk assessments. The aim is to break down longstanding financial barriers and increase women’s access to productive capital.
The Ministry of Agriculture was also urged to implement a national mentorship and capacity-building program designed to elevate women into leadership roles within cooperatives and farmer-based organizations.
The proposed initiative includes training modules on governance, cooperative development, and financial management. Moreover, a 50% leadership quota for women was endorsed to ensure gender-balanced decision-making within cooperative structures.
Another significant resolution calls for the revision of the National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP) and other sectorial policies to mainstream gender in their design, implementation, and monitoring processes.
This includes establishing gender-specific goals and indicators, allocating budget lines for gender-related activities, and conducting participatory gender audits and impact assessments to ensure policies are responsive and inclusive.
Representatives of women farmer groups also welcomed the outcomes of the dialogue. “For too long, we have worked the land without being seen or heard in the decisions that shape our work. These resolutions give us hope that our voices are finally being acknowledged,” said Monger Kebbeh, head of the Rural Women Structure.
The resolutions from the dialogue are expected to inform ongoing policy reforms within the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as programming by donor and civil society actors. The Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists pledged to track the implementation of the agreed action points and facilitate ongoing stakeholder engagement to ensure impact.
At the opening session of the policy dialogue, Estelle K. Liberty, National Coordinator of the Liberia Agriculture and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN), set the tone for the day’s discussions with a passionate call to action.
“Today is not just a gathering; it is a testament to our recognition of the invaluable role that women play across the agricultural value chain—from planting and harvesting to processing, marketing, and distribution. We are also here to confront the barriers that continue to limit their access to resources, financing, land, markets, and decision-making spaces,” Liberty said.
She highlighted alarming statistics that reflect the deep gender disparities in the sector. Although women constitute approximately 70% of Liberia’s agricultural labor force and are responsible for producing over 60% of the country’s food, they own only about 13% of the land and have access to less than 10% of formal credit facilities.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Agriculture Minister for Planning and Development, David Akoi emphasized the critical role of women in Liberia’s agricultural sector. Minister Akoi highlighted the indispensable contribution of women to Liberia’s economy and food security.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of Liberia’s economy,” Minister Akoi declared, stressing its role in job creation, food security, and rural livelihoods. He underscored that despite comprising 65% of the agricultural labor force, women encounter significant challenges, including limited access to land, finance, markets, and necessary tools.
Minister Akoi lauded President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s proactive measures to advance mechanized farming across Liberia. He announced the construction of eight mechanization hubs in key counties, designed to provide affordable access to essential equipment such as power tillers and tractors. This initiative aims not only to modernize agriculture but also to alleviate the physical burdens on women and youth while boosting productivity.
However, Minister Akoi cautioned that mechanization alone is insufficient. He outlined four national priorities integral to the “Liberians Feed Yourselves Agenda,” urging equal access to resources, investment in education and training, enforcement of women’s rights, and fostering strategic partnerships for inclusive agricultural programs.
Also speaking at the one-day agriculture policy dialogue involving women, Dr. Charles Sackey, Chief Technical Advisor for the UNIDO/GROW-2 Project in Liberia, emphasized the need for inclusive leadership within agricultural cooperatives and equitable financial access for women across all regions in Liberia.
Dr. Sackey emphasized that while women form the majority of Liberia’s agricultural workforce, they remain underrepresented in the leadership structures of cooperatives and face significant barriers to financial services—a gap that continues to limit their full potential in the agricultural value chain.
He pointed out that most agricultural cooperatives and producer groups are still dominated by male leadership, even though women contribute significantly to production, processing, and marketing. This imbalance, he argued, not only marginalizes women’s voices but also weakens the sustainability and inclusiveness of cooperative development.
Equally important, Dr. Sackey stressed, is addressing the urban-rural divide in financing access. While urban-based women agripreneurs may have more options for microloans, banking, and private investments, their rural counterparts often struggle to access even the most basic credit services—largely due to lack of collateral, digital illiteracy, or weak cooperative structures.
As Liberia strives for food security, economic inclusion, and rural development, the outcomes of this policy dialogue present a powerful roadmap for a more equitable and resilient agricultural sector—one where women are not just laborers, but leaders, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers.
The onus now lies with policymakers, institutions, and partners to operationalize these commitments and ensure that the vision of an inclusive and resilient agricultural sector becomes a reality for all.
About LAEJN
The Liberia Agriculture and Environmental Journalists Network is a professional body dedicated to advancing agricultural and environmental reporting in Liberia. LAEJN also advocates for sustainable development and inclusive policy solutions that amplify the voices of rural communities, especially women in agriculture.
