Summary: Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey’s recent claim during her Independence Day Oration that Liberia imports more than 80% of its food, including rice, is correct. We searched many credible sources that corroborate Dr. Pailey’s statement that over 80% of the country’s foods are imported.
On July 26, the Orator of Liberia’s 177th Independence Day Celebration claimed during her speech that Liberia imports more than 80% of its food – including the staple, rice.
Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey made the statement while urging the government to enforce the Liberianization Policy by “protecting Liberian businesses”.
She said this will promote food security in keeping with the government’s “Liberians Feed Yourself program”.
The Claim
Here is an excerpt of her speech: “We import more than 80 percent of our food – including the staple rice”.
Rating Justification
To fact-check her statement, we researched several articles and reports on the percentage of foods imported into the country.
A review of the latest report published by the National Investment Commission to attract investment to the country’s agricultural sector reveals that Liberia imports over 80% of its domestic consumption (about 370k MT).
The NIC indicates in the report that the government intends to increase rice production and secure investments across the rice value chain.
We also obtained the Liberia Country Food and Agricultural Delivery Compact, a report published by the African Union. It shows that Liberia imports more than 80% of its food crops, mostly rice.
A June 5, 2024 report on Liberia Agricultural Sectors by the International Trade Administration, a U.S.-based organization that provides actionable data and information for global markets, shows that “Liberia imports more than 80 percent of its rice, making the country vulnerable to global food price volatility”.
Conclusion
Based on the evidence reviewed, we conclude that the claim by Dr. Pailey is correct. Liberia imports more than 80% of its food – mainly rice, according to multiple sources including the National Investment Commission and the African Union, Liberia imports more than 80% of its staple food.
This report is produced with funding from the USAID Media Activity. The funder has No say in the editorial decisions leading to the production of this content