Nigeria’s cocoa sector is on the cusp of transformative change as government agencies, industry leaders, and farmers collaborate to strengthen the value chain, align with global regulations, and ensure sustainable practices.

[ad]

These were contained in a communiqué issued on Friday after a pivotal two-day 3rd National Festival held at the Metropolitan Hotel in Calabar, led by the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) and Cocoa Roundtable Initiative (CORI).

Nigeria’s cocoa industry, a significant contributor to the national economy, has been facing critical challenges in complying with the European Union’s Deforestation Regulations (EUDR).

To address the challenges and leverage opportunities for growth, CFAN and CORI convened all relevant stakeholders in the cocoa industry, both local and international, at its 3rd National Cocoa Festival, tagged Calabar 2024, to deliberate on achieving EUDR compliance and cocoa value chain sustainability through youth entrepreneurship. The event brought together over 300 participants.

[ad]

The two-day 3rd National Cocoa Festival was themed: Calabar 2024 on the Roles of the National Cocoa Management Committee and Others in Mobilising Stakeholders into European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) Compliance and Cocoa Value Addition and Youth Entrepreneurship: Key to Nigeria Cocoa Sustainability.

The stakeholders outlined key actions to boost local processing, promote sustainability, and tackle critical issues like adulterated agrochemicals and outdated land tenure systems.

The communiqué, which was issued by the chairman of the communiqué drafting committee, Mr. Kazeem Sanni of the Rainforest Alliance, prioritised updating forest cover and land use maps across cocoa-producing regions to align with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and establishing a national traceability system.

[ad]

The communiqué also canvassed for greater youth and private sector involvement, particularly in cocoa-related businesses, to secure the sector’s future.

“We are committed to building a sustainable, youth-inclusive cocoa industry,” the communiqué indicated, emphasising the urgent need for government backing and regulatory reforms.

By investing in infrastructure, climate-smart agriculture, and partnerships with top cocoa-producing countries, Nigeria aims to become a global model in cocoa sustainability and industry growth.

The communiqué also outlined an Action Plan for Strengthening Nigeria’s Cocoa Industry, which included more emphasis on boosting local processing and consumption of cocoa products to add value domestically.

[ad]

“The government and NCMC should lead in updating and standardising data on the cocoa value chain by completing and publishing a national cocoa policy.”

READ ALSO: Nigeria cocoa main crop harvest threatened by flood, disease

The communiqué also recommended launching awareness campaigns for stakeholders on EUDR and other relevant regulations through collaborations to remove adulterated agrochemicals from the market.

It advocated for sustainable farming practices by encouraging farmers to adopt sustainability initiatives and best practices, as well as strengthening farmers’ training on safe agrochemical handling and promoting crop diversification.

Other recommendations outlined in the communiqué included updating forest cover and land use maps in all cocoa-producing states.

It urged the government to review land tenure systems to improve land security for farmers.

It also canvassed for the establishment of a national traceability system with industry experts for better transparency and compliance.

[ad]

The communiqué emphasised the need to boost support for research institutes to advance climate-smart agricultural practices and to introduce policies supporting agroforestry practices in cocoa farming for environmental sustainability.

The communiqué advocated developing mechanisms for collaboration and feedback within the industry and creating an enabling environment for private sector and youth engagement in the cocoa value chain.

It also called for improvements in infrastructure in cocoa-growing regions to support processing and distribution.

The fluctuating value of the Naira was also a topic, with the communiqué calling for the implementation of policies to stabilise the Naira and simplify farmers’ access to foreign exchange for imports.

[ad]

The communiqué urged the NCMC to partner with leading cocoa-producing countries for knowledge exchange and industry growth.

It encouraged the government and MDAs to create platforms for youth to learn and engage in cocoa-related businesses (e.g., chocolate, soap making) in collaboration with the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria.

Finally, the communiqué asserted that if the strategic goals are aligned with strong political support and industry collaboration, Nigeria can elevate its cocoa industry for long-term growth and sustainability.

[ad]