The Federal Government has launched the rollout of one million improved hybrid cocoa seedlings as part of efforts to revitalise Nigeria’s cocoa industry, increase farmers’ incomes, boost export earnings and create employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
The flag-off ceremony, held on July 1 at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Ibadan, Oyo State, marked the commencement of a key intervention under the National Cocoa Development Plan and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described the initiative as a strategic national intervention aimed at restoring Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global cocoa market.
He said the programme goes beyond distributing planting materials, stressing that it is designed to rehabilitate ageing cocoa plantations, establish new commercial farms and improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers nationwide.
Kyari noted that the one million improved seedlings, developed by CRIN, are high-yielding, mature earlier and possess enhanced resistance to pests, diseases and the effects of climate change.
He attributed the decline in Nigeria’s cocoa production to ageing plantations, low productivity, inadequate investment, climate-related challenges, limited access to improved planting materials and weak value addition.
According to him, the Federal Government is addressing these challenges through policies focused on research, financing, extension services, sustainability, market access and value addition.
The minister also disclosed that the programme incorporates farm mapping and traceability systems to ensure compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), thereby improving Nigeria’s access to premium international cocoa markets.
He called for stronger collaboration among federal and state governments, research institutions, development partners, financial institutions, processors, exporters and private investors to drive the sector’s transformation.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, described cocoa as one of Nigeria’s most strategic agricultural commodities and a major source of income for farming households.
He said the successful production of one million improved cocoa seedlings under the Federal Government’s Public-Private Partnership framework demonstrates the value of collaboration among government, research institutions, the private sector and farming communities.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Adamu Abubakar Dabban, reaffirmed the council’s commitment to ensuring that agricultural research translates into practical benefits for farmers.
He said the improved cocoa varieties were developed through years of scientific research to deliver higher yields, early maturity, better resistance to pests and diseases, improved climate resilience and premium bean quality that meets international standards.
Dabban stressed that research should not remain confined to laboratories but must be effectively transferred to farmers to improve productivity and support national development.
Representing the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rasheed Ladoja, the Ajiroba of Ibadan, Prof. Soji Adejumo, pledged the support of Ibadan communities for the Federal Government’s agricultural policies aimed at enhancing farmers’ livelihoods and achieving food sovereignty.
The event concluded with the distribution of the improved cocoa seedlings to farmers from the 14 cocoa-producing states across the country.
