Sayina Riman, National President of Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN), has called on the Federal Government to actively engage with stakeholders in the industry so as to ensure that cocoa is technologically driven.
He said presently cocoa is not technologically driven, thereby calling for more fund for investment in research and development.
He further said if this is done it would enable cocoa to earn Nigeria the highest foreign exchange after oil.
“This is a new regime and we want to see the active engagement with stakeholders. They need to get active engagement with stakeholders. Cocoa is not technologically driven, fund must be released to support research and development.
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“All hands must be on deck to be able to produce cocoa to earn Nigeria the highest foreign exchange after oil,” he added.
Riman added that there has been a very low window for research and development, stressing that there is need for continuous research, as research does not end in the board room.
Speaking on incentives for farmers he said in the past there have been certain intervention but it hardly gets to the right farmers.
“In time past, there have always been certain interventions, we hear it in the newspapers and the farmers hardly get it. Government has to engage the farmers themselves discuss with stakeholders, get the farmers point of view to move the sector forward.
“Engage with the stakeholders make sure that the input and subsidy you give reach the true farmers not the Abuja or Lagos or government office holder farmers, with this approach there will be sustainable cocoa growth in Nigeria,” he added.
His view on cocoa policy he said, “We have the best policy in the shelf, there have been cocoa policy but there has been little or no implementation. The policy is there we see it on the pages of newspapers,” he said.
However, he said the outlook for cocoa yield in the recently ended farming season is poor due to drought for most part of the season.
“The cocoa season ended this February and was heavily affected by drought. So the farmers are not expecting much this season because of this singular reason,” adding that the effect of the drought was severe because of low window for research and development, stressing that there is need for continuous research to bring out drought resistant species.
farmers are not expecting much this season because of this singular reason,” adding that the effect of the drought was severe because of low window for research and development, stressing that there is need for continuous research to bring out drought resistant species.
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