PIND moves to boost investment on cocoa farming in Niger Delta

The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has put in place mechanism towards ensuring states in the Niger Delta region take their rightful places in the planting and production of cocoa in Nigeria.

Dara Akala, executive director of PIND, disclosed this in Akure, the Ondo State capital at the stakeholders’ roundtable discussion on ‘ Developing strategies for improving the competitiveness and growth of Niger Delta Cocoa value chain’.

The event, which had various stakeholders in the cocoa sector in attendance, was organised by PIND in partnership with the Ondo State government.

He said the round table discussion was to engage the stakeholders on how to work together to attract

new investments into the cocoa sector and increase profitability.

Speaking through the Economic Development Manager of PIND, James Elekwachi, the PIND boss lamented the dearth of quality data and information on the sector as well as the absence of a well articulated feedback mechanism between the demand side (off- takers/ buyers) and supply side (producers).

“We at PIND Foundation and in collaboration with our esteemed partners organised this roundtable as a platform for stakeholders to share their experience and dialogue on ways to collectively grow the Cocoa sector in Nigeria.

“Among others, it will also kickstart discussions and activities towards addressing poor cocoa bean quality issues and regulation in the sector by working with relevant public institutions with the responsibility of ensuring quality and standardisation in the sector,” he said.

According to him, “The value chain study revealed low productivity and profitability of the cocoa business arising from poor yield and poor quality cocoa beans.

“As a result of poor quality, Nigerian cocoa beans are being sold at a discount price in the international market, resulting in low profitability for actors in the value chain, especially the farmers.”

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, in his address, disclosed that the government has approved the establishment of 2,000 hybrid cocoa plantation in the state.

The plantation is to be located at Ijugbere town in Owo council area of the state.

Represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary of Ondo State Ministry of Agriculture, Segun Odusanya, stated that four productive “cocoa seed bank” which included hybrid cocoa seeds, high yielding, early maturing and resistance to drought were domiciled in the state.

“The importance of cocoa cannot be over emphasised; its cultivation generates employment, income earning to government and enhanced livelihood of farmers, raw materials for agro- allied industries among others,

“The present administration in the state is desirous to further consolidate the efforts of the previous governments who during their time established coach farm settlements across the state.”

Commending the organisers of the forum, Akeredolu opined that there was a need for the stakeholders to take cocoa farming as a serious business and make it attractive to the younger generation by improving the infrastructure in the rural areas.

Adeola Adegoke, national secretary of Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, lamented lack of clear cut policies to regulate the cocoa sector in the country.

Adegoke, while commending PIND for bringing stakeholders together, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to do everything possible to revive the country’s cocoa sector.