Rome — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, speaking at the World Food Forum in Rome on Monday, urged global leaders to adopt strategic actions aimed at transforming the global food system under the campaign “Good Food for All, For Today and Tomorrow.”
The Liberian President outlined four critical actions: bolstering local food systems, enhancing climate resilience, strengthening social safety nets, and promoting global collaborations. He emphasized the importance of investing in rural infrastructure, such as roads, markets, and storage facilities, to reduce post-harvest losses and improve supply chains. Support for local farmer cooperatives and smallholder initiatives, he noted, would empower communities and enhance resilience.
Addressing climate change, President Boakai described it as an undeniable reality posing a significant threat to food security. “We must adopt and implement climate-smart agricultural practices and invest in research for drought-resistant crops that can withstand changing weather patterns,” he stated.
Furthermore, the President advocated for the expansion of social protection programs to provide direct support to those most vulnerable to food insecurity, emphasizing the critical nature of nutrition access for children, pregnant women, and the elderly to break the cycles of poverty and malnutrition.
President Boakai also called for enhanced cross-border collaborations, sharing of best practices, and fostering partnerships with civil society, private sector stakeholders, and international organizations. “United, we can take dedicated actions to create sustainable food systems that not only feed our nations but lay the foundation for enduring peace and prosperity,” he asserted.
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Highlighting the need for practical outcomes from the forum, President Boakai urged, “The time for rhetoric has passed; it is now the moment for robust, unified action. We have the knowledge, the resources, and the humanity to tackle this crisis head-on. Let us emerge from this meeting, not with mere commitments but with actionable steps.”
He also pointed out the critical need for a viable engineering subsector that produces capital goods essential in food and consumer goods production, which he termed imperative for Liberia and other developing nations.
Detailing Liberia’s own strategies, President Boakai shared the nation’s plans to transform its agricultural sector, including mechanization and value chain development for oil palm and cocoa, as part of the National Agriculture Development Plan.
On the forum’s sidelines, President Boakai met with FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, to discuss strengthening partnerships and ensuring the FAO’s programs in Liberia align with the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development. Director-General Qu Dongyu praised the Liberian leader, reaffirming the FAO’s commitment to supporting Liberia, particularly in advancing development for women, youth, and promoting science, technology, and innovation towards agrifood systems transformation.
