THE cocoa industry in Nigeria is re-positioning to compete favourably in the world market. This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akin Adesina, at the 23rd partnership forum organised by the World Cocoa Foundation in Washington, DC., on Wednesday, according to a release by Dr, Olukayode Oyeleye, the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Communication.

At the forum, titled “Meeting Tomorrow’s Demand: Productivity, Quality, and Farmers’ Livelihoods,” Dr. Adesina told the stakeholders how Nigeria, is “developing a sustainable vehicle built on a public-private partnership platform to coordinate the whole cocoa sector that will be public sector-enabled but private sector-driven with all stakeholders playing active role.”

To demonstrate the commitment of Nigeria in developing the cocoa industry, the minister disclosed the plans on rehabilitation of “200,000 hectares over the next four years through an aggressive plan developed in partnership with private sector to provide employment for skilled professionals called ‘Professional Cocoa Doctors and Grafters’ over the next five years, who would be able to deploy their skills to earn a decent living and rehabilitate at least 200,000 ha cocoa farms in Nigeria.” He said, “with the support of MARS Incorporated, some personnel were sent to Indonesia to study Indonesia’s impressive cocoa plantation rehabilitation strategy.”

Explaining the Nigerian Cocoa Investment Plan, the minister said “the theme of this partnership meeting very important to consider how to improve productivity, quality and livelihood to meet the growing demand for cocoa products estimated to reach some 5.0 million MT in 2020, some additional 1.0 million MT to the current cocoa beans output.   He highlighted major problems, which have militated against progress in cocoa business in Nigeria.   “Despite these challenges,” he said, “we see a great opportunity in the face of emerging realities of the global cocoa economy. That is why we have put in place a Cocoa Transformation Agenda (The CocTA PLAN) with a vision of ‘Growing Nigeria’s Share of the World Cocoa market.”

Peter Aikpokpodion, team leader for the Nigerian cocoa transformation agenda, observed that “entrepreneurship in cocoa programme, hitherto lacking in Nigeria, is now being emphasised, as government is working towards facilitating stakeholders to recognise agriculture and cocoa production as business.”

Nicko Debenham, director and head of cocoa at the London-based Armajaro Trading Limited, observed that “what the minister said was important: guarantee funds, finance at farm level, provide enabling environment for private sector, removal of volatility caused by subsidy. If everyone in the supply chain management in Nigeria is working to move and engage in commitment, we will be able to move up to the level of 500,000 metric tons the minister talked about.”

Peter Van Grinsven of Mars, Incorporated, from Indonesia, said that Nigeria has to become highly competitive. There is no reason why farmers in Nigeria cannot have the same yield as farmers in Indonesia. That is the future for the farmer and for the industry.”

Dr. Mark Guiltinan, a plant geneticist at Penn State University, spoke of what his institution is considering to do with Nigeria’s cocoa industry, in multiplication of planting materials for expanding production.

Bill Guyton, President of World Cocoa Foundation observed that “What is exciting to me is to hear Nigeria’s minister of agriculture share his own plan on cocoa industry in Nigeria. By what he is doing, he is playing a leadership role in the development of the sector.