Monrovia, March 5, 2026 – The Government of Liberia is moving to ratify a package of landmark intellectual property treaties that could reshape both the country’s farms and its creative economy, raising fresh questions about who ultimately benefits from stronger protection regimes.
At a Ministry of Information press briefing, Hon. Garmai Koboi, Director General of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO), announced that President Joseph Boakai has submitted several key instruments to the Legislature, including the Arusha Protocol on plant breeders’ rights, a treaty that would allow plant breeders to obtain regional protection and facilitate trade in protected varieties across African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) member states. She framed the move as an opportunity for Liberian farmers and agribusinesses to access improved seeds and new markets, while also aligning the country with modern systems for managing agricultural innovation.
Koboi also highlighted Liberia’s planned ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), positioning it as a tool to strengthen agricultural resilience in the face of climate change by encouraging investment in climate-smart plant varieties. Critics across Africa have previously warned that UPOV-style regimes and the Arusha Protocol can limit smallholders’ traditional practices of saving and exchanging seed, raising concerns that must now be carefully weighed against promises of higher-yield crops and food security.
Beyond agriculture, Koboi pointed to a proposed “compilation” or related copyright protocol under ARIPO that would streamline voluntary registration for authors and other rights holders, as well as a treaty on the protection of performers and audiovisual works that links Liberia to a network of more than 150 countries. These instruments, she argued, are essential to securing fair recognition and remuneration for artists, performers, and other creators in Liberia’s fast-growing but often under-protected cultural sector.
Emphasizing urgency, Koboi said swift ratification would not only deepen Liberia’s participation in the global IP system but also open new economic space for youth, rural communities, and local innovators—provided that implementation balances breeders’ and creators’ rights with the interests of small farmers and ordinary users.
