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COCOA FARMERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA PRESIDENT, COMRADE ADEOLA ADEGOKE REEMPHASIZES COCOA BEANS LOCAL PROCESSING
…Expresses hope newly established National Cocoa Mgt Board will boost activities in industry
The Global President of Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa, Comrade Adeola Adegoke has reemphasized the call for giving priority to local processing.
This, the President said will enhance product shelf life using renewable energy and cold chains and also diversify product offerings from beverages to cosmetics – using nature-based innovations.
Adegoke who also doubles as the President of Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria also urged prioritization of our youth and women involvement in small scale value additions like soap- making, snacks, organic fertilizer, sweets, breads, wine, chocolate etc.
The President was delivering a keynote address at the In-House Research Review Meeting organised by Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria in Ibadan with the theme: Advances in Varietal Development of Cocoa, Cashew, Coffee, Kola and Tea for Sustainable Economic Growth in Nigeria.
In his words, “these crops, traditionally seen as economic commodities have now emerged as powerful instruments for socio-economic transformation and environmental sustainability. Grown sustainably, they do not only enhance rural livelihoods and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s GDP, foreign exchange but they also regenerate our soils, enhance biodiversity, and build climate resilience”.
“These perennial crops, when integrated into agroforestry systems, improve soil structure, increase organic matter, and offer long-term carbon sequestration potential”.
“Among these crops, cocoa stands out as a cornerstone of our agricultural economy and a symbol of Nigeria’s agricultural heritage. Cocoa legacy achievements during the Western Region era; the building of the first tallest house in Africa – known as cocoa house in Ibadan, first radio & television stations in Africa, farm estates, free education etc cannot be forgotten in hurry”.
“Nigeria remains one of the top global producers of cocoa, and CRIN’s strides in varietal development have led to the introduction of early bearing, high-yielding hybrids such as the Tc1-Tc8 series yielding up to 2,300kg/ha – a major leap from the national average of 500kg/ha on traditional farms”.
“The Nigeria agenda to upscale our cocoa production from the present 280,000 / 300,000 metric tonnes to 500,000 metric tonnes in the next two years must have led President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCON FEC approval for the creation of the National Cocoa Management Board in order to put in place an institution that will regulate, support, develop and promote the Nigeria cocoa industry along sustainable practices without the board being involved in cocoa buying and selling”.
Comrade Adegoke said, “this is my leadership idea of consistently canvassing and supporting the creation of this Board since year 2021. And, Mr. President must be commended for his listening ear to us and supporting our demand in this regard”.
The COFAAA Global President urged the National Cocoa Management Board to ensure an increase in the funding of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria.
“So when fully inaugurated, the Board should make it a priority to increase the funding of the institute to care for their staff welfare, funding their research works and building infrastructure to aid their research environment and deliverables”.
“However, as we celebrate the scientific advancements of CRIN, we must remain acutely aware of the global dynamics that threaten our cocoa sector. The European Union’s deforestation-linked regulations place enormous pressure on our supply chains”.
“These regulations require full traceability disclosures and strict environmental compliance, demanding that every farmer and actor within the value chain embrace sustainable practices”.
“Moreover, Africa consumes only a fraction of the chocolate it produces. To illustrate this inequality, in parts of East Africa, a tiny piece of chocolate costs about 15 shillings, yet this is a rare luxury for many. In contrast, in Germany alone, the average chocolate consumption per person is approximately 11 kilograms annually”.
“This is a stark reminder of the global imbalance in access to cocoa-derived products and the urgent need to promote in-country and in-continent value addition”, Adegoke stressed.
“To tackle these disparities, we must prioritise local processing, enhance product shelf life using renewable energy and cold chains, diversify our product offerings – from beverages to cosmetics – using nature-based innovations and also prioritize our youth and women to be involved in small scale value additions; soap making, snacks, organic fertilizer, sweets, breads, wine, chocolate etc”.
“However, climate constraints such as extreme heat and humidity in African countries pose challenges that demand climate-smart practices / more resilience varieties and energy-efficient solutions”.
“CRIN has already laid the foundation with innovations in pest-resistant hybrids, bio-fertilisers from cocoa pod husk and neem, micro-propagation techniques, and farmer-participatory composting models. Integrating these efforts with digital technologies for data management, traceability, and transparency will be key. Blockchain and digital platforms can eliminate middlemen, reduce losses, combat corruption, and ensure fair prices for farmers”.
“The development of robust databases through genetic fingerprinting, hybrid evaluation, and regional field trials further enhances our capacity to scale effectively. With accurate data, we can not only meet export quality standards but also tap into emerging opportunities such as carbon markets”.
“Indeed, there is growing interest in developing carbon credit projects within cocoa-producing communities. These projects can generate new revenue streams for farmers and stakeholders, but they come with critical responsibilities: implementation of sustainable land use from day one, and meticulous reporting, monitoring, and verification to meet global carbon standards. Let me ask this question here – Do cocoa tree of 20 years above not sequestrating carbon?”
“The future of cocoa and our other valuable crops is not just about yields. It is about sustainability, dignity, equity, livelihoods and innovation. Let us embrace this opportunity to transform our agricultural systems into engines of green growth, social justice, and global leadership”.
The Global President used the opportunity to invite stakeholders in the industry to the forthcoming Cocoa Summit and Awards slated for Accra in Ghana.
“Let me use this opportunity to invite this institute and other cocoa stakeholders here to the upcoming African Cocoa Summit & Awards, themed ” One Voice, One Future – For A Thriving Africa Cocoa Economy. This event is organized by the Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA), a pan membership organization for the cocoa farmers of Africa, to unite and applify our voices – in collaboration with the global cocoa stakeholders. The summit will takes place at ISSER Conference Center, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra. The event will re- establish Africa cocoa leadership, build collaboration amongst cocoa origins country, exchange ideas on practicable livelihoods support initiative, check-mate secret funding of synthetic cocoa development in lab as alternative to cocoa in chocolate and collaborate on re-evaluation of the massive financing of cocoa production establishment in other continent outside Africa at the detriment of the Africa such money is made from”.
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