Liberia to launch Coffee Liberica as flagship crop under FAO’s One Country One Priority Product initiative
The move positions Liberia as the first African nation to champion Coffee Liberica under FAO’s global agricultural transformation program.
LIBERIA – Liberia is preparing to officially launch Coffee Liberica as its flagship product under the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative, a global program promoting unique agricultural commodities with strong market and development potential.
The announcement follows a high-level meeting held at FAO Headquarters in Rome between Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah, and Mr. Yurdi Yasmi, head of FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Division and the OCOP Secretariat.
Liberia formally applied in 2024 to join the OCOP program, selecting Coffee Liberica, a rare and indigenous coffee species native to the country, as its priority crop. FAO confirmed that the application would be fast-tracked, enabling Liberia to move quickly toward the official rollout.
Once launched, Liberia will become the first African nation to introduce Coffee Liberica under OCOP, positioning it to compete with globally recognized coffee varieties such as Arabica and Robusta.
During the Rome meeting, both FAO and the Government of Liberia outlined a roadmap to guide the program’s rollout. Key elements include forming a National Task Force composed of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), and coffee farmer organizations.
Three national focal points will be appointed to oversee coordination, implementation, and technical operations.
FAO will provide initial financial support under its Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) to begin the project in 2026. The tentative launch is expected to coincide with Liberia’s National Agriculture Fair scheduled for December 2–6, 2025, pending the FAO Director-General’s visit.
The OCOP initiative aims to help countries identify and brand distinctive agricultural products that can transform rural economies, strengthen food systems, and enhance global competitiveness.
Through Coffee Liberica, Liberia seeks to boost employment in farming, processing, and exports while attracting private investment and promoting agribusiness growth.
FAO noted that Liberia will also benefit from global exposure, capacity-building programs, participation in international trade fairs, and South–South cooperation with other coffee-producing countries.
Minister Nuetah expressed appreciation for FAO’s partnership and reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to using Coffee Liberica as a driver of agricultural innovation and economic development.
According to ReportLinker, Liberia’s coffee output is projected to reach about 9,770 60-kg bags by 2028, reflecting a stagnant compound annual growth rate of 0%. Since 1995, however, the country’s coffee supply has grown by an average of 6% annually, ranking Liberia 47th globally in 2023.
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