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The Strategies to Cocoa Sector Revitalization in Ekiti State (14/10/2011)

By

Adeogun, S.O. (PhD)

University of Agriculture Abeokuta,

Ogun State, Nigeria

Brief History of Cocoa in Nigeria Fourteen cocoa producing States:

South West:: Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun , Ekiti, Delta and Edo.

South South: Cross River,

South East: Abia,

North Central: Kwara and Kogi,

North East: Adamawa and Taraba

Strategies for Revitalizing Cocoa in Ekiti State

• Cocoa survey to gather baseline information

• Conversion of “waste” to “wealth” through value addition

• Mainstreaming of FBS into the Ekiti State Extension System

Cocoa survey

1. Qualitative approach Qualitative tools such as

• Timeline;

• Stakeholders analysis;

• Community Mapping;

• Venn Diagram; and

• Pair wise Ranking

2. Quantitative approach

• Use of questionnaire

• Use of Geographical Positioning System (GPS)

Objectives of the cocoa survey

Describe the socioeconomic characteristics of cocoa farmers in Ekiti State;

2. Determine the effective cocoa hecterage;

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3. Identify cocoa farmers’ problems in the state;

4. Determine associated crops on cocoa farms; and

5. Identify various stakeholders in the sector

6. Ascertain farmers’ farming activities in Ekiti State Approach

Farmer Led Participatory Research (FLPR)

• Who does what? Farm families

• Women and youths (soap production)

• Cocoa farmers (animal feed and organic manure production)

• Scientist (facilitates or guide farmers during the FLPR)

Advantages

• Replenishment of depleted soil

• Income Generation

• Increase space available for cocoa on cocoa farms

• CPH is converted into money rather than being sources of inoculums for

pests and diseases on the farms.

• Job is created for idle youths seeking employment

• The State is repositioned among the cocoa producing states in Nigeria

Mainstreaming of Farmer Business School FBS in Ekiti Extension System

Problems of cocoa farmers

• Nigerian farmers generally lack business skills;

• Many cocoa farmers are “mere harvesters”

• Very low yield (about average of 350- 450kg/Hectare in Nigeria)

• Buyers dictate the price of the commodity

• Fragmented and non cohesive cooperatives

• No access to inputs

• Middlemen’s role

Solutions to identified problems With Farmer Business School:

• Need for reorientation of cocoa farmers

• Make cocoa farmers see farming as a business and be profit conscious

• Build the technical and business skills of cocoa farmers

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• These predicaments are addressed by the Cocoa Livelihoods Program

“CLP” (World

• Cocoa Foundation (WCF) initiative in partnership with Bill & Melinda

Gates

• Foundation & German Ministry of Economic Cooperation)

Implemented across Cameroon, Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana & Nigeria with

vision to enhance the livelihoods of 200,000 smallholders. With Nigeria

having a vision to transform lives of 27,000 cocoa farm families

• FBS States in Nigeria are Ondo, Abia, Edo, Osun and Cross River States

• FBS developed for use by farmers of cocoa and associated crops

• The curriculum consist of technical and business modules

• The modules can be separated and reassembled into commodity specific

protocols for other crops and livestock

Mainstreaming Process

• Implementation approach:-FBS is new and must be handled in a

structured manner for maximum impact, buy-in and ownership.

• For this reason, it is recommended that all cadre of staff should benefit

from appreciation courses on the FBS.

Conclusions

Benefits of Interventions Farmers

• Increased yield/unit area due to better utilization of GAP

• Increased size of individual farm holdings -income expansion and food

security

• Strengthening of producer groups and associations

• Margins on bulk sales and bulk purchases and access to better service

provider

• Increased savings by farmers through opening of new accounts,

• Improved nutrition of households, resulting in better health; and

• Increased household incomes from diversification of agricultural

activities

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• Government Improvement in Nigeria's food security status and internal

revenue generation

• Job creation for millions of youths and adults with resultant impact on

security to lives and property

• Improvement in civil service extension delivery systems

• Higher volume of produce for Ekiti State value-addition activities and

export

• Increased foreign exchange earnings

• Dividends democracy accessible to Ekiti State Indigene.