The Strategies to cocoa The Strategies to cocoa

sector revitalization in sector revitalization in

Ekiti StateEkiti State

14/10/201114/10/2011

ByBy

Adeogun, S.O. (PhD)Adeogun, S.O. (PhD)University of Agriculture Abeokuta,University of Agriculture Abeokuta,

Ogun State, NigeriaOgun State, Nigeria

Brief History of Cocoa in NigeriaBrief History of Cocoa in Nigeria

Fourteen cocoa producing StatesSouth West: Oyo, Ondo, Ogun,OsunEkiti, Delta and EdoSouth South: Cross River South East: AbiaNorth Central: Kwara and KogiNorth East: Adamawa and Taraba

Strategies for Revitalizing Cocoa in Strategies for Revitalizing Cocoa in Ekiti StateEkiti 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 Cocoa survey Approaches to be employed

1. Qualitative approachQualitative tools such as

• Timeline; • Stakeholders analysis;• Community Mapping;• Venn Diagram; and • Pairwise Ranking

2. Quantitative approach • Use of questionnaire- Use of Geographical Positioning System (GPS)

Objectives of the cocoa survey1. Describe the socioeconomic characteristics

of cocoa farmers in Ekiti State;

2. Determine the effective cocoa hecterage;

3. Identify cocoa farmers problems in the state;

4. Determine associated crops on cocoa

farms; and

5. Identify various stakeholders in the sector6. Ascertain farmers’ farming activities in

Ekiti State

Conversion of “waste” to Conversion of “waste” to “wealth”“wealth”

• Who does what? Who does what? Farm familiesFarm families• Women and youths (soap Women and youths (soap

production) production) • Cocoa farmers (animal feed and Cocoa farmers (animal feed and

organic manure production)organic manure production)• Scientist (facilitates or guide Scientist (facilitates or guide

farmers during the FLPR)farmers during the FLPR)

• Replenishment of depleted soilReplenishment of depleted soil• income Generationincome Generation• Increase space available for cocoa on Increase space available for cocoa on

cocoa farmscocoa farms• CPH is converted into money rather CPH is converted into money rather

than being sources of inoculums for than being sources of inoculums for pests and diseases on the farms.pests and diseases on the farms.

• Job is created for idle youths seeking Job is created for idle youths seeking employment employment

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

Mainstreaming of Farmer Business School FBS) in Ekiti Extension System

Problems of cocoa farmersProblems of cocoa farmers• Nigerian farmers generally lack businessNigerian farmers generally lack business skills; skills; • Many cocoa farmers are “mere harvesters”Many cocoa farmers are “mere harvesters”• Very low yield (about average of 350- Very low yield (about average of 350- 450kg/Hectare in Nigeria)450kg/Hectare in Nigeria)• Buyers dictate the price of the commodityBuyers dictate the price of the commodity• Fragmented and non cohesive cooperativesFragmented and non cohesive cooperatives• No access to inputsNo access to inputs• Middlemen’s roleMiddlemen’s role

Solutions to identified problems

Why Farmer Business School?Why Farmer Business School?

• Need for reorientation of cocoa farmersNeed for reorientation of cocoa farmers• Make cocoa farmers see farming as aMake cocoa farmers see farming as a

business and be profit consciousbusiness and be profit conscious• Build the technical and business skills ofBuild the technical and business skills of

cocoa farmerscocoa farmers• Encourage farmers to have a formidable Encourage farmers to have a formidable

and vibrant cooperativesand vibrant cooperatives

Solutions to identified problems contd

These predicaments are addressed by theCocoa Livelihoods Program “CLP”( WorldCocoa Foundation (WCF) initiative inpartnership with Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation & German Ministry of EconomicCooperation) Implemented across Cameroon,Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana & Nigeria with vision toenhance the livelihoods of 200,000smallholders. With Nigeria having a vision totransform lives of 27,000 cocoa farm families.

Solutions to identified problems contd

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

FBS CURRICULUMFBS CURRICULUM

FBS Financial Management

Household Nutrition & balanced diet

Value chain cohesion

Household Nutrition & balanced diet

Good Agricultural Practices

FBS MODULES (12)FBS MODULES (12)1.1. Is farming a business?Is farming a business?2.2. Know your units to know your assets Know your units to know your assets 3.3. Manage your farm for enough food,Manage your farm for enough food,4.4. Money-in money-out-know whether you do Money-in money-out-know whether you do

good business good business 5.5. Decisions for more incomeDecisions for more income6.6. Opportunities to diversify incomesOpportunities to diversify incomes7.7. Manage your money throughout the year Manage your money throughout the year 8.8. How to get good financial servicesHow to get good financial services9.9. Make more money with quality cocoa Make more money with quality cocoa 10.10. Benefits from membership in farmer Benefits from membership in farmer organizationsorganizations11. Investing in planting & replanting of cocoa 11. Investing in planting & replanting of cocoa 12. Becoming an entrepreneur in practice12. Becoming an entrepreneur in practice

SOME FBS SUCCESS STORIESSOME FBS SUCCESS STORIES

‘this program has helped us this program has helped us become a stronger cooperative, become a stronger cooperative,

we are thankful for this we are thankful for this experience … E. U.experience … E. U.

.„I had been doing business without .„I had been doing business without bothering about what bothering about what

goes out and what comes in, goes out and what comes in, I had wasted my effort and time I had wasted my effort and time

not knowing what not knowing what I was doing, henceforth, I was doing, henceforth,

I will take records of all thatI will take records of all that I do‟….. R.E.I do‟….. R.E.

..„I never planted cowpea I never planted cowpea in my life. But when they teachin my life. But when they teach

us to give our children us to give our children plenty of protein, plenty of protein,

I bought and I bought and planted improved variety planted improved variety

of cowpea”…O.Oof cowpea”…O.O

Mainstreaming ProcessMainstreaming 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.

PS Mid-level Mid-level officersofficers

EAs & othersDirector

Management Meetings

Stages involved in FBS TrainingStages involved in FBS Training

ExtensionExtension AgentAgent TOTTOT TLGTLG PLGPLG FBS TrainersFBS Trainers

ConclusionsConclusionsBenefits of InterventionsBenefits of Interventions

Farmers

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

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

• Strengthening of producer groups and Strengthening of producer groups and associationsassociations

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

Benefits of Intervention contdBenefits of Intervention contd• Increased savings by farmers through Increased savings by farmers through

opening of new accounts,opening of new accounts,• Improved nutrition of households, Improved nutrition of households,

resulting in better health; and resulting in better health; and • Increased household incomes from Increased household incomes from

diversification of agricultural activities diversification of agricultural activities GovernmentGovernment

Improvement in Nigeria's food security status and internal revenue generation

Benefits of Intervention contdBenefits of Intervention contd

• Job creation for millions of youths and Job creation for millions of youths and adults with resultant impact on security to adults with resultant impact on security to lives and propertylives and property

• Improvement in civil service extension Improvement in civil service extension delivery systemsdelivery systems

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

• Increased foreign exchange earningsIncreased foreign exchange earnings• Dividends democracy accessible to Ekiti Dividends democracy accessible to Ekiti

State IndigeneState Indigene

Moving from Poverty to Moving from Poverty to ProsperityProsperity