Agric ministry distributes 1m disease-resistant cocoa pods

Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FMARD has distributed over one million disease-resistant, early maturing, high yielding cocoa pods and seedlings with polybags to farmers in the cocoa geo-ecological zones of the country.
Also distributed to the over 40,000 cocoa farmers were agro chemicals and cocoa processing equipment as part of government’s commitment towards regular and timely provision of critical farm inputs to farmers at subsidized rates in order to diversify and boost the nation’s economy.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, dropped the hints while speaking at high level cocoa stakeholders of the Growth Enhancement Support, GES implementation meeting held at Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, CRIN Ibadan recently.
Odusote, according to a statement signed by Mr. Ahmaefule Clifford Okay, on behalf of the Director of Information, disclosed that part of the focal objectives of the meeting was to appraise developments in the 2014 Cocoa GES roll-out, identify opportunities and challenges facing the cocoa economy and proffer solutions for the future, more especially, preparatory to the forthcoming 2015 cocoa year.
Represented by the Director Engineering and Mechanisation, Engr. Mudasiru Akeju, she expressed satisfaction with statistical report released by the Federal Produce Inspection Service for 2013 fiscal year which showed a significant increase in cocoa production from a prior 300,000- mt to 350,000 mt.
This, the permanent secretary said excluded a provisional 3.6m hybrid cocoa pods meant for distribution to farmers within 2015 -2016 cocoa years.
Earlier, the Team Leader of Cocoa Value Chain, Transformation Agenda, Dr. Peter
Aikpokpodion, expressed delight that cocoa product is commanding high premium at the international market capable of complementing the nation’s engine of growth and building a strong and virile economy less dependent on crude oil revenue.
Aikpokpodion, however, refuted the misleading reports that only agro-dealers and input suppliers, including government officials are beneficiaries of the Cocoa GES Transformation initiative rather than cocoa farmers.
According to him, historical records the world-over show that no meaningful development change can come by without challenges no matter how good intentioned the policy is.
He then called on cocoa farmers to appreciate federal governments’ magnanimity in the provision of free farm inputs to them in the nation’s avowed agricultural reforms and revolution.
Vice President, Cocoa Association of Nigeria, CAN, Chief Adesokan Lasun advocated operational modification in the farm inputs distribution network by critical stakeholders in the cocoa sector to realize the overall objectives of the government’s cocoa transformation, in no distant time.
Also, National Secretary Cocoa Framers Association of Nigeria, CFAN, Mr. Adeola Adegoke lauded the federal government’s policy in cocoa transformation to ensure sustainable food security not only for Nigerians but for Africans and the world at large.