Th Vice Chancellor of Taraba State University, Professor Sunday Bako; the President of Cocoa Farmers’ Association in Nigeria, Adeola Adegoke; another stakeholder in cocoa business, Nanman Blessing Tangtu; the Executive Director of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Patrick Olusanmi Adebola, and others have canvassed more support for farmers and research institutes to boost the production of cocoa and other cash crops.

They made the call during the 2025 In-House Review of CRIN held at its headquarters, Idi-Ayunre, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Bako, in his submission, called on the Federal Government to adequately fund agricultural research institutions to boost Nigeria’s cocoa production.

The professor pointed out that Nigeria can compete with other cocoa-producing countries worldwide, but the lack of funds remains a significant obstacle to producing sufficient cocoa in the country.

The VC said, “We have the manpower, but the lack of adequate funding remains the bane of producing world-class cocoa in the country.

“Now that the prices of cocoa per tonne have increased globally, more farmers should be encouraged through adequate funding.”

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Executive Director of CRIN, Dr. Adebola, commended the farmers for their roles in allowing their research to be tested and trusted, and urged young farmers and researchers to learn from their senior colleagues.

Adebola also attributed the institute’s inability to conduct more meaningful research to a lack of funds.

The Executive Director, therefore, called on the Federal Government to ensure that adequate funding is provided for research purposes as the only way to boost the nation’s cash crops production, especially cocoa.

“We cannot be doing research in isolation without the farmers. We need your contributions as we move on in our research work,” the ED said.

In his address themed “Advances In Varietal Development of Cocoa, Kola, Cashew, Coffee And Tea For Sustainable Economic Growth,” the first keynote speaker, the President of Cocoa Farmers’ Association in Nigeria, Adeola Adegoke, also called on Nigerians to embrace farming, especially the production of cash crops.

Adegoke said CRIN had already laid the foundation with innovations in pest-resistant hybrids, bio-fertilisers from cocoa pod husk and neem, micro-propagation techniques, and farmer-participatory composting models.

“Integrating these efforts with digital technologies for data management, traceability, and transparency will be key. Blockchain and digital platforms can eliminate middlemen, reduce losses, combat corruption, and ensure fair prices for farmers.

“The development of robust databases through genetic fingerprinting, hybrid evaluation, and regional field trials further enhances our capacity to scale effectively. With accurate data, we can not only meet export quality standards but also tap into emerging opportunities such as carbon markets.

“These projects can generate new revenue streams for farmers and stakeholders, but they come with critical responsibilities: implementation of sustainable land use from day one, and meticulous reporting, monitoring, and verification to meet global carbon standards,” he said.

Another keynote speaker, Nanman Tangtu, the visionary leader of Lingzin Global, who spoke on the “Power of Creation,” urged Nigerian youths to be creators of jobs, not job seekers, as the only way to bring Nigeria up to par with other developed countries of the world.

“This is the time Nigerian youths should begin to think about creating jobs and not be job seekers,” she said.