Monrovia – Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to strengthening agricultural extension services, as the Ministry of Agriculture turns over 20 Toyota Hilux pickups and 36 Yamaha motorbikes to frontline agriculture officials and key divisions of the Ministry to improve mobility and service delivery.
Speaking at the turnover ceremony, Minister Nuetah said the intervention fulfills a commitment made to agriculture officers at the 2025 Extesion Conference in Ganta and also advances President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s vision of making government services more functional and accessible, particularly to farmers in rural communities.
“It is not sufficient to have a county agriculture office when it is not functional. And when our officers are there working but are not mobile, they cannot adequately serve our farmers,” Minister Nuetah said.
Of the 20 pickups, 15 will be assigned to County Agriculture Coordinators across the 15 counties, 2 to Regional Agriculture Coordinators, and 3 to divisions at the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters in Monrovia. The 36 Yamaha motorbikes will be distributed to District Agriculture Officers to enable them to regularly reach farming communities and provide technical assistance to farmers.
Minister Nuetah commended field officers for the sacrifices they have made in continuing to serve farmers despite transportation challenges.
“Some of our officers have been using their own money to rent motorcycles, pay commercial motorcyclists, and repair old motorcycles just to reach farmers. We appreciate these efforts, and the government has come to address the transportation challenge,” he said.
With the mobility challenge being addressed, the Minister made clear that the equipment comes with greater responsibility and accountability. He said officers receiving the vehicles and motorbikes will be expected to intensify field visits, interact regularly with farmers, provide technical guidance and submit timely reports.
He also warned that vehicles assigned to the counties are intended for official field activities and should not be brought to Monrovia for private purposes or without authorization.
“Our cars are meant for the field. The car should be in the county in which it is assigned,” Minister Nuetah stressed.
The Minister further emphasized that extension services must reach farmers regardless of whether they are beneficiaries of a government or donor-funded project.
“If a farmer is doing his own farm and we are not supporting him with materials, go there and give him technical assistance. Talk to him. Advise him on what he needs to do to improve his work. That is our responsibility,” he said.
For his part, Deputy Minister for Regional Development, Research and Extension, Hon. Moses R. Gbanyan, welcomed the intervention, describing it as significant support to a department whose officers have long faced mobility constraints in reaching farmers.
“On behalf of the Department of Extension, we want to say a very big thank you for continuously supporting us,” Deputy Minister Gbanyan said.
“To the team, please work. We hope this will be a turning point to ensure that we deliver.”
He urged the beneficiaries to make full use of the vehicles and motorbikes to strengthen extension services and demonstrate results in their respective counties.
Beyond mobility, Minister Nuetah disclosed that the Ministry is taking steps to strengthen its decentralized operations by renovating county agriculture offices, recruiting additional personnel, and establishing district agriculture offices.
He said assessments of county offices have already been conducted, with renovation works expected to be undertaken progressively based on available resources.
The Ministry also intends to strengthen local extension teams by adding administrative staff and technicians in key areas, including crops, livestock, and agricultural data.
Minister Nuetah said the investments are intended to build a more responsive and results-driven extension system that brings the Ministry closer to farmers.
“Remember, we are not doing this just to make you feel comfortable. We are doing this to empower you to do what you need to do,” he said.
The turnover marks another step in the Ministry’s drive to decentralize agricultural services, strengthen frontline extension delivery, and bring critical government services closer to farmers across Liberia.
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