“Agricultural production in Liberia is based primarily on rainfed farming, with an April–November rainy season. Rice and cassava are the first and second staple food crops, while rubber is the major cash crop. Life expectancy increased slightly between 1960 and 1979, stabilized at about 48 years through the late 1980s, and has been increasing since (to about 60 years in 2008). The mortality rate for children under five years has been dropping steadily. The malnutrition rate for children under five was estimated at 20.4 percent in 2007. The road network is largely underdeveloped, and many areas are frequently cut off during the rainy season. In the high variant scenario, Liberia’s population will double by 2040. Population growth will present challenges for a country still reeling from more than a decade of civil war.”
