CAREYSBURG, Montserrado County, November 2, 2026 –Liberia is targeting the development of 50,000 hectares of agricultural land as the government moves to expand mechanized farming following the donation of 304 units of agricultural machinery by China.
Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah said the equipment is expected to boost domestic food production, support commercial farming and create opportunities for farmers and private investors seeking to expand agricultural operations.
Speaking in an interview following the dedication ceremony of machinery on October 30 at Camp Ware in Careysburg, Nuetah said the government’s immediate priority is to ensure that farmers take advantage of the equipment to increase agricultural production.
He emphasized that the availability of modern machinery alone would not guarantee increased food production without the active participation of farmers.
“These machines are opportunities for Liberians to engage in farming that will feed the nation,” Nuetah said, urging farmers to demonstrate interest in accessing the equipment and expanding their farming activities.
The minister disclosed that the government intends to collaborate with the private sector to manage and operate the machinery rather than assume direct responsibility for its daily operations.
He explained that the arrangement would allow individual farmers, private investors and commercial agricultural operators to access mechanized farming services while ensuring the equipment remains operational and properly maintained.
Nuetah noted that operating the machinery would require substantial resources for fuel, maintenance, technical support and the employment of qualified operators. “The machine itself will not do the work. We need to fuel these machines, maintain them and have people who will operate them,” he explained.
He added that the equipment would also be made available to private investors interested in large-scale agricultural production, particularly as the government pursues its target of developing 50,000 hectares of farmland.
Addressing concerns about the cost of acquiring the equipment, Nuetah clarified that all 304 units were donated free of charge by the Government and people of the People’s Republic of China.
He said the acquisition followed engagements between the Liberian and Chinese governments, facilitated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the instructions of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. The Ministry of Agriculture subsequently conducted an assessment to identify machinery suitable for Liberia’s agricultural conditions.
The minister urged farmers in the initial beneficiary counties to take advantage of the equipment, warning that the investment could have limited impact if farmers failed to demand and utilize the mechanized services.
President Boakai and Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Yin Chengwu attended the October 30 dedication ceremony, during which the 304 units of machinery were officially handed over to the Liberian Government.
The consignment includes tractors, tractor wagons, mini combine harvesters, rice seedling transplanters, rotary tillers, disc plows, front-end loaders, mobile grain dryers, boom sprayers and direct grain planters, among other supporting equipment. The machinery is expected to support land preparation, planting, harvesting, transportation and post-harvest processing.
Liberia’s agricultural sector has long faced challenges, including limited access to modern farming equipment, low productivity, inadequate irrigation and heavy dependence on imported food, particularly rice.
The government has established 13 Agricultural Mechanization Service Hubs across Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Margibi, Montserrado and Bomi counties to provide farmers with access to mechanized services at affordable rates.
The government has also announced plans to extend the program to the remaining nine counties, beginning with southeastern Liberia. The initiative forms part of the Boakai administration’s broader agricultural modernization and food-security objectives under its ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
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