COCOA FARMERS ASSOCIATIONS COMMEND PRESIDENT TINUBU OVER TRANSFORMATION OF COCOA COMMITTEE TO BOARD

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COCOA FARMERS ASSOCIATIONS COMMEND PRESIDENT TINUBU OVER TRANSFORMATION OF COCOA COMMITTEE TO BOARD

…COFAAA, CFAN believe development will boost regulation, production, productivity and the incentivization of the industry through direct support to farmers

The Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA), Nigeria Chapter and the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) have lauded the efforts of the President Bola Tinubu, GCON & C-in-C of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for giving approval for the metamorphosing of the National Cocoa Management Committee into board which has been the demand of the Nigeria cocoa farmers and other stakeholders in the last five years.

The two cocoa leading farmers’ organizations led by Comrade Adeola Adegoke, Global President of Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA) & National President of Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) appreciated Mr. President, the entire members of the Federal Executive Council, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari and Secretariat team of the National Cocoa Management Committee for this positive development for the industry which severally the Associations and other stakeholders in the industry have called for a board that will be solely for the regulation and development of the industry but will not be involved in the marketing of cocoa.

According to the Global President of Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa, Comrade Adeola Adegoke, who also doubles as CFAN President in Nigeria, “the major assignment of the board will be to support the regulation, production, productivity and the incentivization of the industry through a direct support to the cocoa farmers whose livelihoods have been threatened by the fluntuation of cocoa prices or dynamics of the sector without a deliberate support to the cocoa farmers who are the golden hens that lay the golden eggs and whom often provide their inputs and infrastructures for themselves in their cocoa production communities”.

“It is the belief of the Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa (COFAAA), Nigeria Chapter and Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) and other cocoa industry players whom have been consistently agitating that the Nigeria cocoa industry cannot continue to be on autopilot position but that there must a deliberate plan to repositioning it in order to regain the lost glory of the cocoa economy which had contributed to the generation of foreign exchange, provide employment for millions of people, livelihoods for the thousands of cocoa farmers and their families and generated a total exports values of N356.16 billion worth of cocoa beans and its allied products in the year 2023 while about N2. 7 trillion (US$1.76 billion) was approximately the total cocoa value exports in the year 2024”.

“Nigeria is currently at seventh position in the global cocoa production and fourth in Africa according to ICCO figures”.

The President of Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria however expressed the hope that the narrative will change with the recent intervention of the federal government.

“It is our belief that Nigeria has what it takes to become a leading cocoa producing country in Africa if the board is put in place to drive the Nigeria Cocoa Plan and put in place enabling policies back up with funding that will create a resurgence in cocoa production across the cocoa producing States by carrying out massive rehabilitation along a sustainable practices that align with international standards which entails traceability, agroforestry & agroecology practices, due diligence, quality control, local processing, youth inclusiveness etc”.

“The Associations also passionately appeal to the Government of Ondo State, under the able leadership of the Executive Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to look into the plight of the cocoa farmers in Ore, Odigbo local government whose livelihoods have been threatened by the approved Oil Palm production investment by SAO company in the area which have gravely affected cocoa farms of some of the cocoa farmers in the affected communities located in the Government Reserve areas”.

“We plead that Ondo State Government should look into the matter discreetly bearing in mind that Ondo State is a leading cocoa producing States in Nigeria with about 90,000 MTS which could affect the cocoa production expansion future of the State if care is not taken and also negatively impacted the livelihoods and survival of the affected farmers with their dependable families”.

The Associations also used the opportunity to congratulate the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) on the successful hosting of its event in Akure recently which dwelt on deforestation free cocoa production for Nigeria which is the pathway to a sustainable cocoa economy for our future cocoa industry.