By Our Correspondent
National News – The Ekiti State Government has unveiled a long-term agricultural plan to raise 10 million cocoa seedlings within 10 years to revive cocoa production and restore the state’s relevance in Nigeria’s cocoa value chain.
The initiative, announced on Sunday in Ado Ekiti, aims to address declining cocoa output caused largely by ageing plantations and low productivity among existing farms.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, revealed that the government intends to produce one million cocoa seedlings annually over the next decade.
According to him, the project is designed to strengthen cocoa farming, boost farmers’ income, and enhance Ekiti’s contribution to Nigeria’s cocoa export industry.
Boluwade explained that the programme will be implemented in collaboration with key agricultural institutions, including the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, and the TRACE Project.
These partnerships will provide technical support, improved cocoa varieties, and training for farmers on modern farming practices.
He noted that the TRACE programme focuses on sustainable cocoa production, improved fermentation techniques, and better quality standards required for international markets.
The initiative also emphasises traceability, environmental protection, and ethical production, ensuring cocoa beans are not sourced from deforested land or produced using child labour.
As part of the project’s pilot phase, 28 farmers currently developing cocoa nurseries have already received irrigation pumps worth millions of naira to support continuous seedling production.
Boluwade said the improved seedlings supplied by research institutions are high-yield and climate-resilient, capable of maturing within three years.
To encourage participation, the state government plans to provide cocoa seedlings and agrochemicals at a 50 percent subsidy, reducing production costs for farmers.
The distribution of seedlings will be decentralised to ensure farmers across Ekiti can easily access them.
The commissioner also revealed that the government will collaborate with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency to provide farmers with weather forecasts to guide planting decisions, with full rainfall expected by mid-April.
Additionally, Ekiti plans to leverage the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme, supported by the African Development Bank, to promote cocoa processing, create jobs, and boost value addition in the agricultural sector.
Boluwade expressed optimism that the initiative will increase cocoa output, strengthen the state’s economy, and create employment opportunities across Ekiti State.
