By Amos Harris
Monrovia, Liberia—The Liberia Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (LACRA) has launched a week-long exploratory mission to the Republic of Ivory Coast, the world’s leading cocoa producer. Acting Director General Dan Saryee and Deputy Director Apha Gongolee are leading the delegation, which aims to gain firsthand insights into the Ivorian cocoa sector.
From now until Saturday, September 20, the LACRA team will engage with key institutions, including the Coffee and Cocoa Regulatory Authority (CCC), the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF), and the Rainforest Alliance. The itinerary includes visits to various cocoa value chain facilities, such as packaging factories, fermentation centers, farms, and cooperatives. The delegation will also visit post-harvest facilities and jute bag production companies to observe the full scope of cocoa processing and supply.
The mission’s primary objective is to explore opportunities for institutional partnerships and learn sustainable practices that can be replicated in Liberia. LACRA, under its new administration, is focusing on decentralization and sectoral reforms to improve the country’s cocoa industry.
LACRA is prioritizing several key reforms to boost Liberia’s cocoa production and market competitiveness:
- Infrastructure: Plans are underway to establish regional warehouses to address storage challenges.
- Farmer Education: The authority is providing practical training for farmers in modern fermentation and drying techniques to enhance cocoa quality.
- Market Access: The introduction of solar dryers in key cocoa-producing areas is expected to further improve the quality of Liberian cocoa exports.
- Compliance: To meet the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which requires proof that products are not sourced from recently deforested land, LACRA is developing a traceability system to track cocoa beans from farms to export points.
The knowledge and collaboration opportunities gained from this mission are expected to be vital in supporting Liberia’s ambitions to expand its cocoa industry and secure a stronger position in the international market.
