Nuclear Science Could Help Liberia Grow More Food and Fight Malnutrition

Liberia’s N’Dama and Muturu cattle are well adapted to local environments, giving the country a valuable foundation for livestock development.

Liberia is exploring how nuclear science and related technologies could help farmers produce more food, protect livestock, improve diets and strengthen food safety. A 12-member expert team visited the country from 19 to 24 July 2026 under Atoms4Food, an initiative run by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. Working with government ministries, laboratories, universities, research centres, farmers and development partners, the mission examined challenges across Liberia's agrifood system and identified areas where practical scientific tools could make a difference.

Crop production remains below its potential because many farmers have limited access to improved seeds, modern technology, reliable soil information and effective livestock services. Rice and cassava received particular attention because they are central to everyday diets and national food security. Liberia still produces less rice than its population consumes, leaving the country dependent on imports and exposed to changing international prices. Experts identified opportunities to improve crop breeding, seed systems and variety testing so that productive, climate-resilient crops can reach farmers more quickly. This work could build on earlier IAEA support that helped Liberia use nuclear techniques to develop rice varieties suited to local growing conditions.

Poor soil fertility and high soil acidity are also reducing harvests in many areas. Nuclear and isotopic techniques can show how nutrients move through soil, how efficiently crops use water and how different farming practices affect productivity. Such evidence can guide farmers toward better fertilizer and water management, reduce wasted resources and support crops during unpredictable rainfall or other difficult growing conditions.

Faster Disease Detection Could Protect Liberia's Indigenous Livestock

Liberia's N'Dama and Muturu cattle are well adapted to local environments, giving the country a valuable foundation for livestock development. Animal diseases, weak surveillance systems and limited veterinary services continue to cause losses for farmers. Nuclear-derived diagnostic methods can detect and track infections rapidly, allowing veterinary authorities to identify outbreaks earlier, take targeted action and reduce the risk of diseases spreading between animals, people and the environment.

Agriculture Minister J. Alexander Nuetah said Liberia is committed to creating a more productive, resilient and nutrition-sensitive agrifood system. He noted that the assessment had revealed ways to incorporate nuclear and related technologies into national institutions and programmes, with the wider goal of producing lasting benefits for farming families and communities.

Nutrition was another major concern raised during the assessment. Around 27 per cent of Liberian children under five experience stunting, while anaemia affects more than 40 per cent of women of reproductive age, according to figures cited in the release. Experts proposed wider cultivation and consumption of nutrient-rich crops, including provitamin A-rich cassava and orange-fleshed sweet potato. Stable isotope techniques can help researchers understand how the body absorbs nutrients and assess the quality of people's diets, giving policymakers stronger evidence for designing nutrition programmes and measuring whether they are working.

A Practical Roadmap Will Guide Investment, Training and Cooperation

Limited laboratory infrastructure makes it difficult for Liberia to monitor chemical residues, harmful microorganisms and other food hazards routinely. This weakens consumer protection and can restrict trade opportunities for local producers. Strengthening laboratories, food-testing services and regulatory systems would help authorities identify contamination more accurately, enforce safety standards and build confidence in food produced within the country.

The mission's findings will be compiled into a Country Assessment Report that will support a national Action Plan covering crop improvement, soil and water management, livestock health, nutrition and food safety. The plan is expected to guide future investment, professional training and technical cooperation while strengthening the institutions responsible for Liberia's agrifood system.

FAO Representative ad interim in Liberia Saeed Abubakar Bancie said coordinated work across agriculture, livestock, food safety and nutrition could advance a One Health approach. Abdou Salam Ndiath of the IAEA's Department of Technical Cooperation stressed that scientific evidence can help shape policies, build national expertise and direct investment toward solutions that create durable results.

Launched in 2023, Atoms4Food supports countries in applying nuclear and related technologies to agricultural productivity, nutrition, food safety and resilience. For Liberia, the assessment marks an important step toward turning specialised science into practical tools that can help farmers protect their animals, improve their harvests and place safer, more nutritious food on family tables.