The cocoa industry in Nigeria is re-positioning to compete favourably in the world market. This is disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, at the 23rd partnership forum organised by the World Cocoa Foundation in Washington, DC.
At the forum, titled “Meeting Tomorrow's Demand: Productivity, Quality, and Farmers'Livelihoods,” Dr. Adesina told the stakeholders how Nigeria, is “creating a sustainable vehicle built on a public-private partnership platform to coordinate the complete cocoa sector which will be public sector-enabled but private sector-driven with all stakeholders playing active role.”
To demonstrate the commitment of Nigeria in developing the cocoa industry, the minister disclosed the plans on rehabilitation of “200,000 hectares over the next four years via an aggressive plan developed in partnership with private sector to supply employment for skilled professionals called ‘Professional Cocoa Doctors and Grafters'over the next fi ve years who'd have the ability to deploy their skills to earn a significant living and rehabilitate at the least 200,000 hectares of cocoa farms in Nigeria.”
He explained, “with the support of MARS Incorporated, some personnel were provided for Indonesia to study Indonesia's impressive cocoa plantation rehabilitation strategy.”
Explaining the Nigerian Cocoa Investment Plan, the minister stated that the theme of the partnership was to consider how to enhance productivity, quality and livelihood to generally meet the growing demand for cocoa products estimated to achieve some 5.0 million metric tonnes in 2020.
The minister highlighted major problems, which have militated against the progress in cocoa business in Nigeria to include practices, productivity, environment, labour, youth engagement; poverty issue; access to credits; market exposures; price volatility; land tenure; environmental issue; social issues such as labour and migration.
Peter Aikpokpodion, team leader for the Nigerian cocoa transformation agenda, observed that “entrepreneurship in cocoa programme, hitherto lacking in Nigeria, is now being emphasised, as government is working towards facilitating stakeholders to recognise agriculture and cocoa production as business.”
Nicko Debenham, director and head of cocoa at the London-based Armajaro Trading Limited, observed that “what the minister said was important: guarantee funds, fi nance at farm level, provide enabling environment for private sector, removal of volatility caused by subsidy. If everyone in the supply chain management in Nigeria is working to maneuver and take part in commitment, we will be able to maneuver up to the level of 500,000 metric tons the minister talked about.”
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