CFAN reiterates commitment to premium cocoa production

COCOA Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), has affirmed that the collective focus of the association is to increase Nigerian cocoa productivity and production, and quality assurance of the cocoa bean through premium cocoa production.

Comrade Adeola Adegoke, National President of CFAN made this known while speaking at the flagging off of the free distribution of the Cocoa GAP Handbook to the Edo State smallholder cocoa farmers.

He said that the launching of the free distribution of the Cocoa GAP Handbook across the entire cocoa producing states and Edo State, in particular, will mark Nigeria’s path to achieving 100 per cent premium cocoa production with 500,000  metric tonnes targets and sustainable practices in the cocoa supply chain in the year 2024 and the highest cocoa producer by 2027.

He said that the association is currently collaborating with Harvestfield Industries Limited, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), EBAFOSA Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and other stakeholders on how to increase Cocoa and Forestry practices in order to improve transparency across the cocoa supply chain.

“Our collective focus is to increase Nigerian cocoa productivity and production, quality assurance of our cocoa bean through the premium cocoa production, child labour eradication, fighting deforestation through the practising of cocoa and forestry initiative.

“Upscale our traceability and certification in our cocoa supply chain, responsible pesticides application, MRLs reduction and enlightening our cocoa farmers on nature-based solutions and smart cocoa practices to fight climate change across the 14 major cocoa producing states in Nigeria.”

“Let me tag this our advocacy via the free distribution of this Cocoa GAP Handbook the production of premium cocoa as a catalyst to market the Nigerian cocoa at the international market and empower our smallholder cocoa farmers through a sustainable living income pricing that will guarantee a sustainable practices across the cocoa supply chain in Nigeria ahead of other cocoa-producing countries.

Speaking further he said that the need to improve the living income of the smallholder cocoa farmers vis-a-vis their standard of living led the association to partner with the Federal Government through the FMARD, FMITI and the National Assembly, on the need for Nigeria to join Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana in the collection of $400 Living Income Differential (LID) for the smallholder cocoa farmers of Nigeria as a matter of priority.

“We are happy to inform our smallholder cocoa farmers that we are moving forward on the issue of the LID being championed by CFAN in Nigeria, especially considering the FMARD, CRIN and CFAN team’s recent visit to Accra, Ghana with Cote d’Ivoire,” he said.

Adegoke, however, said that the Cocoa GAP Handbook is free to all the entire smallholder cocoa farmers of Nigeria.

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