MONROVIA – Renowned human rights advocate, Mr. Titus B. Pakalah, is urging President Joseph N. Boakai and the Ministry of Agriculture to launch a Civil Society Reference Working Group on food security to immediately address the 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI), which puts Liberia hunger at 31.9, categorizing the hunger level as “serious.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Mr. Pakalah pointed out that key findings from the Global Hunger Index show that undernourishment in Liberia, approximately 38.4% of the population is undernourished.
Liberia’s Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRHR), focal person further disclosed that the report shows that child stunting, is around 29.8%, which indicates that 29.8% of children under five are stunted, indicating chronic malnutrition.
According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI), Liberia has a GHI score of 31.9, categorizing the hunger level as “serious.” Child Wasting: About 3.4% of children under five suffer from wasting, reflecting acute undernutrition. Child Mortality: The under-five mortality rate stands at 7.3%, partially due to inadequate nutrition and health services.
Meanwhile, providing recommendations to address the growing concern, Mr. Pakalah urged that the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Agriculture initiate policy and establish a joint Civil Society Working group to address the situation, he described as serious.
“I want for President Joseph N. Boakai and the Ministry of Agriculture to launch a civil society Reference Working Group on food security. The objective of this is to shift the conversation from abstract economic statistics to the real-life experiences of those struggling to meet their most basic needs. The CSOs Reference Working Group will then capture firsthand data from ordinary Liberians, both urban and rural, to provide a comprehensive picture of how hunger is impacting individuals and families” he pointed out.
According to him, those Stats gathered will help advocate for more targeted interventions and resource allocations to address food insecurity nationwide.
Accordingly, Pakalah argued that hunger has no Political party, therefore, President Boakai and the Ministry of Agriculture should address the growing hunger threat that is confronting Liberian.
He lamented that in recent time, Liberians continue to express their concerns about hunger and hardship within major households and communities, adding that these expressions are flowing in days and nights on popular talk shows and street interviews, while noting that Liberia is not alone in this real-time crisis.
He further indicated that in fact, many countries whose economies are externally dependent are experiencing this very problem, wondering Should the government think those who speak on the radios about hunger are only “CDCians”? No.
The Human Rights activist stated Hunger has no political party and these people are expressing their genuine concerns, therefore, it’s time the government listen and act.
“Yes, I am aware “JNB can’t put food on everyone’s table”—but a little more innovation to addressing food security in Liberia is needed. How? First reassess the current rate of hunger in Liberia and understand the severity or frequency of the underlying factors. Call the Ministry of Agriculture to expand subsidies to small farmers who are struggling to sustain themselves” he noted.
