Boakai, FAO Director-General Agree on New Path for Agricultural Growth
FAO Director-General Meets President Boakai, Pledges Stronger Support for Liberia’s Agriculture Sector
Daniel Theophilus Cole 
Executive Mansion, Monrovia: President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. today welcomed the Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Mr. Qu Dongyu, and his high-level delegation to the Executive Mansion for strategic discussions aimed at accelerating Liberia’s agricultural transformation.
The delegation included senior FAO officials: Mr. Godfrey Magwenzi, Dr. Maximo Torero, Dr. Abebe Haile Gabriel, Mr. Yang Hau, Ms. Lineo Molise, and Mr. Hong Shen.
President Boakai expressed gratitude for FAO’s consistent partnership and reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to modernizing its agriculture sector. He noted that Liberia is well positioned to make the most of its fertile soils, favorable climate, and abundant natural resources, adding that the nation is now ready to “harvest what has been planted” through years of groundwork and planning.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu commended Liberia’s renewed focus on agriculture and highlighted the country’s unique strengths, including its globally distinctive Liberica coffee with strong export potential. He reaffirmed FAO’s readiness to expand both technical and financial assistance to Liberia—especially in improving value chains, strengthening farmers’ resilience, and encouraging youth participation in agriculture.
Mr. Qu also pointed to new opportunities for collaboration through China’s Academy for Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS), which can offer advanced research, training, and technology to help boost productivity and innovation in Liberia.
The FAO delegation praised Liberia’s direction and reaffirmed support for the country’s priorities, including seeds development, climate-smart farming, and expanding market opportunities for Liberian products.
President Boakai thanked the Director-General and his team for their commitment and assured them of his government’s full cooperation. He emphasized that with sustained support, agriculture will become a powerful engine for economic growth and national prosperity.
