Published: November 25, 2025
WEDABO–GRANDCESS DISTRICT, Grand Kru County — The Chief Executive Officer of SAMJEBO Farm, Joseph Nimely Toe, is calling on Liberian media practitioners to take a leading role in advocating for stronger government investment in the agriculture sector, arguing that sustained agricultural development is essential to national stability, youth empowerment, and food security.
Speaking Sunday evening in an interview with Grand Kru TV from the United States, Toe urged journalists to use their platforms to press the national government and the Legislature to prioritize agriculture financing in the national budget.
“Media professionals must remind our leaders that agriculture is the foundation of economic independence,” he said. “Stronger support for food production can help redirect many young people from drugs and illicit mining, especially in rural areas like Grand Kru.”
Toe, a native of Grandcess, is currently cultivating 150 acres of farmland, producing plantains, rice, cocoa, coconuts, and a variety of vegetables. He said the farm has created employment opportunities for residents in the district and demonstrated what local farmers can achieve with minimal support.
He emphasized that the media has a “moral responsibility” to help strengthen the economy by amplifying the concerns and needs of farmers who continue to struggle despite their contributions to national food supply.
Toe criticized what he described as the government’s neglect of agricultural development in the Southeast, claiming that the Ministry of Agriculture has concentrated support in Lofa, Nimba, and Bong counties while providing “very limited assistance” to farmers in Grand Kru and neighboring regions.
He said such disparities reinforce the perception that only a few counties dominate national food production, a mindset he believes undermines the potential of the Southeast.
“The government must stop operating under the belief that Lofa, Nimba, and Bong are the only food-producing counties,” Toe said. “This thinking has led to the Southeastern region being marginalized in agriculture budget allocations. Grand Kru deserves equal investment.”
Toe maintained that with proper support—including access to tools, training, and financing—Southeastern counties could significantly contribute to national food security and reduce Liberia’s reliance on imported staples.
He concluded by urging journalists to elevate the challenges and opportunities within the agriculture sector, noting that sustained advocacy could help push policymakers toward a more inclusive and balanced investment strategy.
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