The Food Authority of Liberia (FAL) is undertaking a nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at informing citizens about the establishment, mandate, mission, and vision and core values of the institution, as part of efforts to strengthen understanding of food safety and quality across the country.
The awareness campaign is providing communities, food businesses, consumers and other stakeholders with a better understanding of the role of the Food Authority and the importance of ensuring that food placed on the Liberian market is safe and meets required quality standards.
According to the Deputy Director General for Technical Services Hon. Theophilus Ndorbor, the Food Authority of Liberia was established under the Food and Feed Quality and Safety Act of 2019 as an autonomous institution responsible for strengthening Liberia’s food safety regulatory system. The Ministry of Health reported that the Authority became operational in 2025, marking an important step toward a more coordinated and science-based approach to food safety in Liberia.
He said, the Food Authority’s mandate centres on protecting public health by ensuring the safety and quality of food and feed throughout Liberia.
“This Authority is responsible for enforcing food safety regulations, coordinating the work of relevant institutions involved in food control, and supporting compliance with national and international food safety requirements” he further noted.
Its responsibilities also include working with stakeholders across the food chain—from producers and processors to distributors, retailers and consumers—to promote safe food production, handling, storage and consumption. The national legal framework provides for the Authority to work with a Board of Directors, a Director General and staff, a Stakeholder Consultative Forum and an independent Scientific Committee.
Through the nationwide awareness, the Food Authority is also seeking to communicate its institutional mission and vision to the public and encourage greater cooperation in achieving food safety objectives.
The Authority’s work is based on the principle that food safety is a shared responsibility involving government institutions, food producers, businesses, consumers, development partners and other stakeholders.
The nationwide campaign comes at a time when food safety is receiving increased attention in Liberia. According to the Ministry of Health, ensuring that food is safe and hygienically prepared is essential to reducing foodborne illnesses and addressing nutrition-related challenges.
The Authority has also stressed that food safety cannot be the responsibility of one institution alone, but requires collective action from government, businesses, communities and consumers.
The Food Authority’s awareness initiative therefore seeks to encourage Liberians to pay greater attention to how food is produced, processed, transported, stored, prepared and consumed.
As the awareness continues across Liberia, citizens are being encouraged to become more informed about food safety and to cooperate with food safety authorities.
Food producers, processors, vendors, importers, distributors, retailers and consumers all have important roles to play in maintaining food safety standards.
The initiative forms part of Liberia’s broader efforts to strengthen food safety governance, regulatory coordination and compliance with national and international standards. A 2025 UN Liberia report noted that the newly established Food Authority had been strengthened through a Five-year strategic plan and operational roadmap, alongside efforts to improve inspection and regulatory capacities.