By James T. Brooks
CHANGSHA, CHINA – In a move that signals a bold new chapter for Liberian food security and industrialization, Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has secured high-level commitments for a massive private-investment expansion into the nation’s agribusiness sector. The breakthrough occurred during the Mainland Group’s 25th Annual Gala held this week in Changsha, Hunan Province, where Dr. Nuetah joined global business leaders to celebrate the silver jubilee of a company that currently stands as the fourth-largest natural rubber processing and trading enterprise in the world.
Addressing an audience of international investors, Dr. Nuetah praised Mainland Group’s “One Body, Two Wings” strategy, which seamlessly integrates production, value addition, and international trade. He emphasized that this model serves as the ideal blueprint for Liberia’s transition from a subsistence-based farming economy into a modern, value-added industrial hub. The Minister noted that while Liberia is blessed with fertile land and a rich farming tradition, the nation has for too long exported its wealth in its rawest form. This new partnership aims to change that narrative by prioritizing local processing over raw exports.
The discussions centered on concrete investments designed to tackle Liberia’s most critical agricultural gaps, with a heavy focus on achieving rice sovereignty. The plan includes the establishment of modern rice-milling operations to reduce the nation’s heavy reliance on imports and support the “Liberians Feed Yourselves” initiative. Additionally, a “Cassava Revolution” is envisioned through large-scale processing facilities intended to transform one of Liberia’s most abundant crops into high-value starch and flour for industrial use. To ensure these products reach their destination, the investment also covers an expansion into logistics and financial services to strengthen the efficiency of the entire agrifood system.
While the investment involves large-scale industrial plants, the heart of the agreement lies in its potential impact on the ordinary Liberian farmer. The expansion is expected to create thousands of jobs and provide a guaranteed “off-take” market for smallholder farmers, ensuring they have a reliable buyer for their produce. By building processing plants within the country, the government and Mainland Group aim to keep the profit and value of crops like cocoa, coffee, and cassava within Liberian borders, directly benefiting local communities and the national economy.
On the sidelines of the gala, Dr. Nuetah engaged with senior officials from Hunan Province and Changsha City to explore broader trade cooperation. These talks highlighted unique opportunities, such as the production and export of Liberian hot peppers to the Chinese market. Such diversification underscores the administration’s strategy to identify and capture niche global markets for Liberian produce.
The Minister’s mission to China serves as a clear signal that Liberia is open for smart, sustainable agricultural investment. As the country moves forward with its National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP), the focus remains on partnerships that do more than just extract resources. With the commitment from Mainland Group, Liberia is positioning itself not only to feed its own people but to become a respected player in the global agrifood supply chain. Dr. Nuetah concluded by reaffirming that through investment and value addition, Liberia is building a resilient economy that truly works for every farmer.
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