Liberia

Last updated: April 2019
  • Region Western and Central Africa
  • UPOV membership status Member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO); initiated the procedure for acceding to the UPOV Convention
  • Participation in OECD Seed Schemes No
  • ISTA-accredited member laboratories No
  • GM crop approval for cultivation No
  • Law on Plant Variety Protection No
Seed sector in Liberia

Within the past decade, Liberia’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) improved its plans and strategies for regenerating the seed sector through several pathways: the Lift Liberia Interim Poverty Reductions Strategy (2008); the Food and Agriculture Policy and Strategy (2009); the Food Security and Nutrition Strategy (2008); and the Liberia Agriculture Sector Investment Program (2009–2010). All underpin the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program compact signed in 2009.

The Government of Liberia, through the MOA, has adopted a set of seed regulations that was prepared in 2012. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) C/REG.4/05/2008 has served as a guide for drafting Liberia’s seed regulations, including the upcoming creation of a seed board. Currently, Liberia has no plant variety protection law.

As a member state of government institutions, there are farmer organizations, community-based organizations, cooperatives and private companies involved in the seed sector.

Liberian cooperatives are among the few in the region with a broad portfolio that includes vegetable seeds, and they have long been among the chief sources of farmers’ empowerment. They have played critical roles in providing farmers with access to finance, seeds, tools, marketing, transportation and storage, and they also represent farmers’ interests at the national level. Currently, there are 75 to 80 seed-producing cooperatives in Liberia.

Observations

There are four index companies in Liberia with sales, but none in the index carries out seed production, testing, breeding, processing or extension services.

Index company activities identified in Liberia
Company Crops in portfolio Company activities in country
Companies selected for
the Access to Seeds Index
Field
crops
Vegetables Breeding
location
Testing
location
Seed
production
Processing
location
Sales Extension
services
Bayer
Corteva Agriscience
Faso Kaba
NAFASO

Other companies identified in the regional landscaping study and their activities.

Company Crops in portfolio Company activities in country
Field
crops
Vegetable
crops
Breeding
location
Seed
production
Sales
Agriculture Infrastructural Investment Company
Arjay Farm
AIM Global Company Ltd.
Dokodan Farmers Cooperative
Gbeelay-Geh Women Cooperatives
GREEN STAR

Leading seed producing cooperatives highlighted in cooperative study

Company Crops in portfolio Company activities in country
Field
crops
Vegetable
crops
Testing
location
Seed
production
Sales
Gbandi Brothers Cooperative
Guma Mendi Farmers' Cooperative