Montserrado, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Margibi, Bong, Nimba and Lofa Counties Benefit
By Abraham K. Kollie, kollieabraham23@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia–Twenty-six cassava farmers from six counties have graduated as certified seed growers and seed companies following a 2-day intensive training here in Kakata city, Margibi County, 72 kilometers from Monrovia, as Liberia stives to contend with growing food insecurity.
“Despite these gains, food insecurity and malnutrition are still a major concern across the country. Underlying causes of poverty are high food prices, disruptions in food supply, lack of employment opportunities and low level of access to education. The country is heavily dependent on foreign aid and investment,” says a UN World Food Programme report. Liberia | World Food Programme
The recent seed growing training is aimed at closing Liberia’s critical gap in quality seed supply across the region.
The capacity-building workshop, organized by the Seed Development and Certification Agency (SDCA) in partnership with the Seeds4Liberia Project, ended Thursday, August 21, 2026. It brought together growers from Montserrado, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Margibi, Bong, Nimba and Lofa* counties.
“We Are No Longer Just Farmers, We Are Seed Companies”
At the close of the training, participants were certificated as official seed growers and seed companies, a move SDCA says will professionalize cassava seed production in Liberia.
SDCA Director General, Mr. Jobson A. Momo, said the initiative targets cassava cutting production systems because cassava remains a staple food and income source for thousands of Liberian households.
“Quality seed is the foundation of productivity. If we want to increase food security, raise farmers’ income, and make Liberia self-sufficient, we must start with certified seeds,” Momo stated.
He noted that many seed producers lack technical knowledge in production, quality assurance, processing, storage, and business management — a gap that has limited the availability of certified seeds nationwide.
“This training is to strengthen the technical and managerial capacities of seed growers, traders, and seed companies. We want them to understand national seed policies, meet certification standards, and run seed businesses like real companies,” he added.
What the training ocvered
The 2-day intensive course covered Introduction to Seed, Systems in Liberia, National Seed Policies and Regulations Principles of Seed Production, Field Inspection and Quality Control, Processing, Packaging, Storage and Marketing,
Certification and record keeping
SDCA said the goal is to ensure participants gain hands-on expertise in seed production, understand certification procedures, and improve post-harvest handling and marketing key steps toward making certified seeds accessible to farmers across the country.
Beneficiaries: “This Training Has Changed Our Mindset”
For the farmers, the training marked a turning point from subsistence farming to commercial seed business.
*Madam Korto Sackie, a cassava grower from Lofa County*, said:
“Before this training, we just cut sticks and sold them anyhow. Now I know how to select healthy cuttings, inspect my field, package properly, and keep records. We are no longer just farmers. We are now seed companies. This certificate means my business will grow.”
*Mr. James Kollie from Bong County* called the training “life-changing”,
“We have been struggling because farmers complain our cuttings don’t grow well. Today SDCA taught us quality control. When I go home, I will apply everything. Liberia will not lack good cassava seed again because we are ready to supply.”
Ms, Comfort Pay from Bong County emphasized the business side:
“The part about marketing and record keeping opened my eyes. Seed is business. If we follow the standards, we can sell across counties and even export one day. I thank SDCA and Seeds4Liberia for believing in us small farmers.”
A step toward national food security
According to SDCA, the availability of quality, certified seed is critical to increasing agricultural productivity and farmers’ income.
The agency said the new cohort of certified growers will strengthen collaboration among seed stakeholders and improve the national seed system.
“The hands-on expertise you have gained positions you to better contribute to the production and distribution of certified seeds in Liberia,” Momo told the graduates.
With cassava being one of Liberia’s most widely cultivated crops, officials say the program will help ensure farmers have access to clean, high-yielding planting materials, reducing losses and boosting harvests.
The Seeds4Liberia Project reaffirmed its commitment to supporting SDCA in scaling similar training to other crops and counties in the coming months.