“We are designing the future”: LACRA opens two-day validation of oil palm regulations

Published: January 30, 2026

MONROVIA — Liberia’s oil palm sector entered a defining moment Thursday as the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) opened a two-day national validation of its proposed 2026 Oil Palm Regulations, drawing strong commitments from government officials, regulators, farmers, and development partners.

“This is not just about reviewing a document,” said Dan Saryee, Acting Director-General of LACRA. “We are here to design the future of one of Liberia’s most resilient and promising sectors.”

Saryee said the absence of clear, modern, and enforceable regulations has for years constrained the oil palm industry, limiting fair pricing, quality control, and international competitiveness. “For too long, the potential of our oil palm sector has been hindered by weak regulatory frameworks,” he said. “Today, we are here to change that.”

He described oil palm as more than a commodity, calling it “a cornerstone of national food security and a powerful engine for rural economic growth,” adding that the value chain supports thousands of livelihoods, from concessionaires to smallholder farmers in the interior.

Saryee also highlighted LACRA’s decentralization strategy, noting that the authority is moving away from being Monrovia-based. “Through our regional hubs, our inspectors and quality control officers will be stationed where the work is — at the farm gate,” he said. “Decentralization means faster certification, stronger monitoring, and enforcement of these regulations across all 15 counties, not just in the capital.”

Providing a legal overview, the oil palm regulation consultant Cllr. Roosevelt Gould described the draft regulation as a landmark framework governing every stage of the oil palm value chain, from nursery operations to export.

“This regulation is not just about compliance,” Gould said. “It is about transforming the entire oil palm sector.”

He said the regulation derives its authority from LACRA’s 2016 Act and harmonizes Liberia’s land tenure, labor, environmental, and public health laws. “We recognize that oil palm operations intersect land rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and trade,” he said. “This regulation embeds all of those legal requirements into one coherent framework.”

Gould stressed that the regulation aligns Liberia with global best practices and international market requirements, including European Union deforestation rules. “This positions Liberia as a credible and competitive player in the global oil palm market,” he said.

On licensing, Gould said the new framework sets a high threshold for entry. “Licensing is not merely administrative,” he said. “It is a gateway to legality, accountability, and market access.”

Deputy Minister for Regional Development, Research, and Extension, Ministry of Agriculture, Moses Gbayan, welcomed the initiative, speaking both as a policymaker and a farmer. “I am an oil palm farmer myself,” Gbayan said. “If we can have aggregators who come directly to the farms and link us to proper processing and packaging, it will change farmers’ lives.”

Gbayan pledged the ministry’s continued support. “This is the only way we can change Liberia and improve the livelihoods of our farmers,” he said. “We are committed to providing technical services to LACRA across the oil palm and cocoa value chains.”

Commerce and Industry Minister Magdalene Dagoseh assured stakeholders of her ministry’s backing, particularly in market access and standards enforcement. “Farmers are the backbone of this country,” Dagoseh said. “If we empower and uplift them, the entire economy benefits.”

She encouraged producers to take advantage of refurbished national testing and standards facilities. “We want Liberian palm oil to qualify for the world market,” she said. “And we will support every step of that process.”

LACRA Board Chair Josephine George Francis emphasized the need for research and institutional collaboration. “We will not succeed without research,” Francis said. “Oil palm is natural to Liberia, but without strong research institutions and laboratories, we cannot fully harness its potential.”

Francis called for collective action, adding, “LACRA cannot do this alone. The Ministry of Agriculture, Commerce, research institutions, and farmers must all work together. Liberia must find her place on the global oil palm map.”

The validation continues with expanded farmer participation, after which LACRA will incorporate stakeholder feedback before finalizing the 2026 Oil Palm Regulations.