To accelerate the growth of the industry, stakeholders in the cocoa value chain have tasked the federal government to put in place policies that will end the exploitation of cocoa farmers.
They stated this at a media briefing to announce the 2024 International Cocoa and Chocolate Forum (ICCF) slated for Lagos and Abuja in January.
The ICCF is the main platform by International Cocoa Diplomacy for networking, partnerships, collaboration, ideas and cultural exchange, bilateral trade, opportunities, learning and forming new alliances.
The event with the theme ‘Putting Value in Cocoa at Producing Regions’, organised in partnership with Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) and the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), will take place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on January 9, 2024 and January 11, 2024, at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking at the briefing, Managing Director, Sunbeth Global Concept, Mr. Olasunkanmi Owoyemi asked the federal government to introduce policies that will boost cocoa value chain to protect the local cocoa economy and its players.
In the same vein, Managing Director/Chief Executive of Nigerian Export-Import Bank, Abba Bello stressed the need for Nigeria to add value to its cocoa exports, saying this is necessary for the country to maximise benefits of investments in the sector.
Bello, who was represented by NEXIM Bank’s Head of Strategy and Corporate Communication,Tayo Omidiji, said Nigeria has lost its leading position in the production and export of cocoa over the years to now rank about the fourth producer behind countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia.
The Executive Director, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Patrick Adebola, represented by Director, Cocoa Programme of the institute, Dr Samuel Orisajo, said the institute is providing necessary supports to cocoa farmers to ensure that they get it right in terms of best agricultural practices and add value to their cocoa so as to make maximum gains.
A member of the ICCF2024 Team, Mr Shola Mohammed said, “ICCF2024-NIGERIA is a call to action to continue the discussion where policy formation will meet investment requirements for the sole purpose of creating the cocoa culture that will begin to intentionally add value to cocoa and create wealth at origin to reduce dominance of the industry by consuming regions and to also explore ways for shared value and prosperity creation purposes.
He said the event would bring policy makers, financial institutions and stakeholders from across the continent together to exploit ways of taking advantage of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and other emerging cocoa and chocolate markets to optimise the potentials.
According to him, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Chief Olawale Edun would be the Chairman of the Forum in Abuja and will declare the Forum open with an address that will focus on the future of cocoa.
The Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari would be the Special Guest and Keynote Speaker to deliver an address on Productivity versus Production in Agriculture in relation to Value Creation within the singular market, AfCFTA.
The First Lady of Kwara State, Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, who is the Honourary Global Ambassador of International Cocoa Diplomacy, would deliver a goodwill message with focus on the importance of diplomacy to address the several issues facing the cocoa industry.
According to the organisers, the Lagos session would be declared opened by the state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Chief Host.
