Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah outlined the Ministry of Agriculture’s ongoing efforts to expand opportunities for young Liberians through skills training, employment, entrepreneurship and agricultural innovation as the Government prepares a new generation to drive Liberia’s agricultural transformation.
Speaking Thursday, October 29 at the inauguration of Nimba University’s Third Student Council Government, Minister Nuetah challenged young people to look beyond traditional employment and explore the growing opportunities in modern agriculture.
“We want graduates who do not merely seek employment in agriculture but create agricultural enterprises, develop technologies, provide mechanization services and generate employment for others,” he stated.
The Minister highlighted ongoing training for 130 Liberians at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) in Bong County, where participants are gaining practical skills in operating and maintaining agricultural machinery to support 13 mechanization hubs across six counties.
The training comes as the Ministry prepares to deploy over 300 pieces of agricultural machinery and equipment donated by the Government of the People’s Republic of China to improve land preparation, increase food production, and reduce farmers’ dependence on manual labor.
The mechanization initiative is also expected to create technical employment and entrepreneurship opportunities while improving farmers’ access to machinery services.
Minister Nuetah also disclosed plans to recruit 384 additional Liberians across all 15 counties to strengthen agricultural advisory services.
The proposed recruitment, which includes specialist and clan-level technical positions, remains subject to the necessary budgetary, recruitment and administrative approvals.
At Nimba University, the Minister highlighted the Ministry’s investment of more than US$198,000 in a Model Piggery Farm and Livestock Farmers Field School Platform, established to strengthen practical training, research and climate-smart livestock production.
He challenged the University to develop the facility into a center of excellence for livestock research and development, building on the Ministry’s wider collaboration with eight universities and communities to prepare young Liberians for careers in agriculture.
Speaking on the theme:, “Leadership Is Service: Empowering Students to Shape Liberia’s Future,” Minister Nuetah drew on his experience as a student leader in Liberia and China to encourage the newly inducted officials to embrace integrity, unity and accountability.
“Your position is temporary, but your character is not,” he reminded them.
He urged the student leadership to prioritize practical solutions over promises and measure success by improvements in student welfare rather than the number of announced projects.
Concluding his address, Minister Nuetah challenged young Liberians to use their education, creativity, and skills to contribute to national development.
“To every young Liberian, I leave you with this challenge: Don’t just prepare to inherit the future. Prepare to shape it,” he declared.
The Ministry’s efforts to deepen youth and women’s participation in agriculture will continue with the upcoming Liberia National Youth and Women in Agriculture Conference (LNYWAC) 2026, scheduled for early December in Bong County.
The conference will bring together young people and women from all 15 counties to share their experiences, discuss challenges related to access to land, financing, technology, extension services and markets and contribute ideas to expand opportunities in agriculture.
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