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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.
