Clarion Olusegun
Over 300 stakeholders in Nigeria’s cocoa industry have gathered to discuss ways to ensure Nigeria’s cocoa sustainability at the 3rd National Cocoa Festival, organised by the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) in collaboration with Cocoa Roundtable Initiative (CORI), in Calabar, Cross River State.
The event, themed: “The Roles of the National Cocoa Management Committee and Others in Mobilizing Stakeholders into European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) Compliance and Cocoa Value Addition and Youth Entrepreneurship: Key to Nigeria Cocoa Sustainability,” was aimed at tackling critical challenges facing the sector.
Discussions highlighted key challenges, including low local consumption of cocoa products and the proliferation of adulterated agrochemicals.
According to the communique from the event made available to AgroNigeria, below are the objectives of the event, followed by the challenges noted and recommendations discussed.
Objectives;
1. To provide a comprehensive overview of the European Union Deforestation Regulations (EUDR) and its implications on Nigeria’s cocoa industry
2. To develop strategies for mapping of land under cocoa cultivation to establish traceability, monitor deforestation and encourage sustainable practices in cocoa supply chains in order to achieve total due diligence in the Nigerian cocoa sector.
3. To foster partnerships among stakeholders to support deforestation-free cocoa production and protect our ecosystem.
4. To explore innovative technologies and practices for youth entrepreneurship in cocoa production, processing and value addition.
5. To clarify roles/responsibilities of National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC), government agencies, cocoa farmers, buyers, processors, exporters and other stakeholders.
After exhaustive discussion during the various panel sessions, the 2-day event made the following observations and recommendations.
CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED
1. Low local consumption of cocoa products
2. Lack of accurate data on cocoa production and cocoa value chain
3. Knowledge gap about EUDR and other relevant regulations among the farmers and stakeholders.
4. Farmers are faced with soil degradation, pests and diseases, post harvesting processing infrastructures, access to low digit financing etc.
5. Wrong use and proliferation of adulterated agrochemicals
6. Lack of access to cocoa policy document
7. Outdated forest cover and land use maps
8. Poor land tenure system
9. Little or no collaboration among industry players on data sharing
10. Low adoption rate of traceability systems and practices.
11. Outdated farming practices and limited access to quality inputs.
12. Increased impact of climate change on production and poor adoption of mitigation techniques on farms
13. Insufficient investment and poor adoption rate of agricultural technology and innovation
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Shift of focus to local processing and consumption of cocoa products.
2. Government and NCMC need to take the lead in updating and harmonizing available data on the cocoa value chain.
3. Sensitizations and awareness campaigns should be carried out for stakeholders in the cocoa value chain on EUDR and other relevant regulations.
4. Farmers should key into the available sustainability initiatives around them and adopt best agronomic practices
5. Government, NCMC, National Task Force (NTF) and other stakeholders should intensify efforts to flush out adulterated agrochemicals from the industry.
6. More efforts on building farmers capacity on safe & responsible handling of agrochemicals and diversification for sustainability.
7. NCMC should ensure the completion and publication of the national cocoa policy.
8. Government, NCMC and NTF should ensure the updating of the forest cover and land use maps in all cocoa producing states.
9. Review of the existing land tenure system by the government.
10. Government should initiate a national traceability system in collaboration with development partners and industry experts.
11. Government should improve support to research institutes to increase adoption of Climate Smart Agricultural practices by farmers.
12. Government should introduce policy on agroforestry practices in cocoa farming.
13. Stakeholders need to develop an effective mechanism for collaboration and feedback collection from the industry players
14. Government should ensure an enabling environment for private sectors and youth participation in the cocoa value chain for sustainability.
15. Improved effort on infrastructure development in rural areas where cocoa is grown
16. There should be policy interventions to stabilize naira and make it easier for farmers to access foreign exchange for essential imports.
17. NCMC should collaborate and partner with leading countries in the cocoa business, learn their strategies and work closely with them for sustainable growth of the industry.
18. Government and MDAs should create platforms and attractive opportunities for youths to learn cocoa value chain businesses such as making of soap, chocolates, and cocoa powder in collaboration with the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria as this is crucial to ensuring sustainability of the industry.
The event was attended by the Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency; Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, ably represented by the Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Ebokpo Jnr, Secretary to State Government of Cross River State, Hon. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abba Kyari who was also represented,
Other attendees included; indigenous organisations and associations, private organisations, traditional institutions, representatives of Ondo, Edo, Ogun, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, and Delta States, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) among others.
The participants lauded the leadership of the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) and Cocoa Roundtable Initiative (CORI) for organizing such a timely event, which has enabled stakeholders to discover opportunities available in compliance with the EUDR and ensure the sustainability of the industry through youth involvement.
The forum unanimously agreed that the political will of government is a crucial factor to drive the implementations of these recommendations to achieve the desired outcomes.