IllustrativeLiberia Rice Value Chain
Liberia · NationwideCrop production · Rice
50,000 ha of irrigated lowland rice with dams, mechanisation hubs and solar-supported mills, to cut Liberia's USD 260.7m rice import bill, for an estimated c. USD 243m including USD 18m for water management.
Rationale
Rice is Liberia's staple at 133 kg per person a year, yet local production meets only 25–30% of annual demand of 650,000 t, and imports topped USD 260.7m in 2025.¹ Irrigating 50,000 ha targets two to three harvests a year and cuts post-harvest losses from 35–70% to 15%.
- Area
- 50,000 ha irrigated lowland, two seasons
- Water
- Five medium-large dams, built or rehabilitated
- Hubs
- Five mechanisation hubs, seed centres
- Milling
- Solar-supported mills, 1–5 t/hour, parboiling
Investment opportunity
Transaction structure
PPP and private investment of USD 224.8m, alongside USD 18.18m of government support.
Use of funds
Dams, irrigated lowland, mechanisation hubs, seed centres, aggregation, commercial mills and a digital market platform.
Revenue basis
Paddy and milled rice for the domestic market, including school feeding and concession demand.
The ask
PPP and private investors in irrigated production, mechanisation, milling and aggregation, with private management of irrigation schemes.
Why it is bankable
Annual demand of 650,000 t; local production meets only 25–30%, and rice imports topped USD 260.7m in 2025.¹
Consumption of 133 kg per person a year, among the highest in Africa.
Two to three harvests a year on 50,000 ha, with post-harvest losses cut from 35–70% to 15%.
Corporate income tax holidays of up to 25 years and duty exemptions on imported machinery, spare parts and inputs.
Data and evidence · Today vs the plan targets
| Today | Plan target | |
|---|---|---|
| Irrigated lowland | 464,815 ha available nationally | 50,000 ha, 2–3 harvests a year |
| Post-harvest losses | 35–70% | 15% |
| Rice imports | Over USD 260.7m (2025) | Cut by 70% |
Project readiness and timeline
- OriginationGreenfield
- FeasibilityCurrent stage
- StructuringTo follow
- Financial closePost-diligence
- ConstructionTo follow
Key risks and mitigants
Import duties are suspended, so local rice competes on cost; irrigation, mechanisation and lower losses target that gap.
Sales are not contracted; demand includes school feeding and concession buyers alongside the open domestic market.
Sites are not yet confirmed; land mapping and benefit sharing are released in the Tier 2 data room.
Transaction terms
- Offtaker
- Domestic market
- Contract status
- Not contracted
- Structure
- PPP with private sector management; public dams and seed centres
- Technology
- Irrigated lowland rice; 5 dams, 5 mechanisation hubs, 1–5 t/hour parboiling mills
- Capacity
- 50,000 ha of irrigated lowland, two seasons; 300 ha commercial blocks
- Location
- Liberia; 464,815 ha of lowland available nationally; sites under NDA
- WAIIS pillar
- Agribusiness & Food Systems
Development impact
Social
10,000 direct and 50,000 indirect beneficiaries; rice farmer incomes up 30%.
Jobs
Rural jobs for youth and women, including mill technicians trained through TVET.
Economic
Targets a 70% cut in rice imports, saving foreign exchange.
Climate
Climate-resilient, low-emission irrigated rice planned; GHG flux of +2.62 million tCO2-e.