Executive Director of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Dr. Ezra Yakusak, has empahasised the need to explore the emerging advanced technologies and infrastructure to revolutionise cocoa value chain in Ondo state and across the cocoa producing region in the country.
“Yakusak stated this during a two-day workshop for cocoa farmers on “Optimising the Emerging Technological and Infrastructural enable for Cocoa Revolution” in Akure, Ondo state capital
The NEPC Executive Director urged cocoa farmers to take advantage of the emerging technologies to boost their buisnesses and penetrate the global market.
Yakusak, who was represented by the State Coordinator of NEPC, Arch. Benedict Itegbe, said exploring artificial intelligence, Blockchain and Digital Marketing will ensure unprecedented levels of efficiency and productivity necessary for a sustained global competitiveness in this disruptive age of technology.
He said: “Artificial intelligence in particular offers us new and powerful means to empower our farmers with advanced tools and data-driven insights for farmgate prosperity.
“By harnessing this technology, we can optimize every aspect of cocoa production, from planting to harvesting, ensuring a higher yield, improved quality and a premium on pricing. This revolutionary step will not only transform the livelihood of our farmers but also create more wealth and development in Ondo State.
“Ondo State also has a responsibility as the leader in this space, to pioneer and foster strategic innovation and collaboration that can be adopted in the other 13 cocoa producing states”
Speaking, the Chairman of the Ondo State Cocoa Council, Olusegun Awolumote, urged the Federal Government to pay special attention to cocoa production and other tree crops, in order to boost the country’s foreign exchange.
He noted that before the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria, cocoa was the mainstay of the country’s economy but said the country had been relegated to the background, saying “the
country, which was the number one producer of cocoa in the world, is now rated third, behind Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.
“This development has continued to give experts in the business a serious concern, in the face of challenges like ageing cocoa trees and quality of the product being exported.
He however, stressed the need to ensure that Nigeria regains its position in the global market, through value addition to cocoa
The Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Agriculture, Akin Olotu also called on the Federal Government to focus more on providing security for farmers, as well as construction of rural roads.
Olotu commended the NEPC for its regular advocacy programmes and disclosed that the programme would go a long way to enlighten the farmers on quality conformity and compliance to global requirements.
He said the frequent training will also ensure that farmers uphold good agricultural practices towards producing premium cocoa.
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