With 80% Food Insecurity, 1.48 Tons Per Hectare Rice Yield, and Only 1% of National Budget, Has the Ministry of Agriculture Under Dr. Alexander Nuetah Turned President Boakai’s Ambitious US$718 Million National Agriculture Development Plan Into Bold Rhetoric Without Implementation?

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With 80% Food Insecurity, 1.48 Tons Per Hectare Rice Yield, and Only 1% of National Budget, Has the Ministry of Agriculture Under Dr. Alexander Nuetah Turned President Boakai’s Ambitious US$718 Million National Agriculture Development Plan Into Bold Rhetoric Without Implementation?

BY: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr.

MONROVIA, Liberia — Agriculture is listed as the first pillar of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda.

It employs over 40% of Liberians Yet a forensic review of data, budgets, and farmer testimonies in 2026 paints a troubling picture of a sector heavy on plans but light on delivery.

CLAIM 1: “Agriculture is the Priority

FACTS: The numbers do not support it.

According to an IMF Technical Assistance Report in 2026, Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) budget in 2024 was just US$3.4 million — less than 1% of the total national budget.

In the proposed FY2026 draft national budget of US$1.2 billion, the entire agriculture sector received only US$13.6 million — again about 1% far below the 10% CAADP benchmark African leaders agreed to.

Of that, MoA itself got US$9.54 million, CARI US$2.25 million, LACRA US$892,118, CDA US$848,019, and Rubber Development Fund just US$132,152.

Analysis of FY2024-FY2026 shows the Government committed only US$35 million to the flagship National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) 2024-2030, a six-year plan budgeted at US$718 million to reach 70% rice self-sufficiency.

That is less than 5% of what is needed.

Verdict: Underfunded by design.

CLAIM 2: “World Bank US$200 Million Was Mismanaged

FACTS: Minister Nuetah held a documentation-backed press conference clarifying the allocation.

The Ministry revealed that 68% of the US$200M was not for seeds or fertilizer — it was redirected to road infrastructure under the Ministry of Public Works.

STAR Project: US$48M + US$28M additional. US$10.5M redirected to WFP/EPA, US$65.5M to farmers.

RETRAP Project: Total US$170M. US$30M for Tappita-Toe Town road, US$85M for Tappita-Zwedru corridor. Combined infrastructure = US$115M or 67.6% of total.

The remaining US$150M tranche is still with the World Bank after consultants found elephant migration routes on the planned corridor, requiring a 2-year biodiversity study.

Verdict: Not mismanagement, but structural diversion. Farmers expected farm inputs, they got road projects still on paper.

CLAIM 3: “We Are Supporting Local Farmers

FACTS: Farmers themselves disagree.

The National Rubber Brokers and Farmers Union accused Minister Nuetah of staging a fake welcome for President Boakai in Buchanan, distributing “smallholder farmer” T-shirts to non-farmers to manufacture support.

Local farmers in Grand Bassa and Bong petitioned President Boakai to dismiss Nuetah over “poor leadership and bias,” alleging additional surcharges on rubber and alignment with foreign firms like Jetty and Firestone while sidelining Liberian-owned businesses.

In September 2026, exporter Meawon Liberia Inc. CEO Charles Bamakpeh said Executive Order #166 — which bans export of unprocessed rubber — left his 2,000-ton contract stranded with no grace period, accusing the Ministry of creating a monopoly for a few foreign companies.

Minister Nuetah’s response to Verity News when asked: “Let them do whatever they want.

Verdict: Growing trust deficit between Ministry and indigenous producers.

CLAIM 4: “Production Is Improving

FACTS: The sector remains subsistence and vulnerable.

Rice yields average 1.48 metric tons per hectare well below regional average.

Less than 3% of arable land is irrigated despite 41% of Liberia being arable and 15 major rivers.

Food insecurity affects an estimated 80% of the population (FAO 2023).

Liberia still spends US$200 million annually importing rice, meeting only 39% of demand domestically.

30% of households depend on agriculture, yet 50% remain food insecure.

On the positive side, the Ministry launched three landmark reports in April 2026 — Global Hunger Index 2025, CFSNS 2025, and Crisis Preparedness Plan — and is pushing a US$900 million Legacy Investment Program and seed sector overhaul.

BOTTOM LINE:

Dr. Nuetah has a credible, well-written roadmap the NADP and the US$900M Legacy Program.

He has strong donor engagement, evident in World Bank STAR/RETRAP and IAEA support.

But three critical gaps persist:

1. Funding vs. Ambition Gap: 1% budget cannot fund a 70% self-sufficiency dream.

2. Policy Consultation Gap: Executive Order 166 and rubber surcharges were rolled out without adequate farmer consultation or grace periods.

3. Perception Gap: Field presence in Lofa, Bong, Nimba is praised, but farmers in Bassa and southeast feel excluded and staged.

For a Ministry that should be feeding Liberia, the fact-check shows it is still struggling to feed itself with resources, trust, and results.