COFAAA unveiled to revolutionise Nigeria’s cocoa sector

The Cocoa Farmers Alliance Association of Africa has been unveiled in Nigeria’s quest to transform its cocoa industry.

In a statement issued by the COFAAA secretariat, in Nigeria on Thursday after the unveiling of COFAA in Nigeria, the National president of the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, Comrade Adeola Adegoke, said at COFAAA level, Nigeria cocoa farmers have a lot to benefit from in the areas of good governance, explaining that the association is incentivising the industry through collaborations with other global cocoa institutions.

“This will be deliberate especially to empower African cocoa farmers through various initiatives and innovations that will bring together all African cocoa farmers together regardless of our geographical locations but, will be united by cocoa,” he said.

Adegoke who also doubles as the president and Global Coordinator of COFAAA Nigeria,  said he is determined to use his leadership in collaboration with other African cocoa stakeholders to change the narrative by pushing African cocoa farmers into unimaginable prosperity.

He gave the historical background of how his leadership has repositioned CFAN which has become the most organised association with the largest membership not only in Nigeria but, in Africa.

He emphasised that under his leadership, the hitherto voiceless cocoa farmers group has now become the biggest voice in Nigeria, noting that the association under his leadership has initiated partnerships and collaborations with other cocoa stakeholders, facilitated loans to our cocoa farmers, enhanced capacity building, participate in policy-making, cooperatives development at the farm gate level, encouraging sustainable practices and ecosystem protection.

“The Association has also done a lot of work in synergy with other partners to establish a regulatory institution for the cocoa industry in Nigeria known as National Cocoa Management Committee,” he averred.

He said Nigeria is currently producing 300-450kg per hectare which is not really profitable, stressing that Africa currently produces 70 per cent of the world’s cocoa production which is about 4.7 million metric tonnes.

He pointed out that the association will create a big voice for the cocoa farmers regardless of the African countries they belong to, promising that issues will be dissected where tailor-made solutions would be provided to solve common and peculiar challenges.

He, therefore, called on African countries and particularly, cocoa farmers to unite and work towards the prosperity of the African cocoa economy, particularly cocoa farmers’ prosperity as the golden hen that lays the golden egg for the sustainability of the cocoa industry in Africa.

In a keynote address delivered by the National president of the Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria, Felix Oladunjoye, who also congratulated Adegoke on his new position, restated COPAN’s support for the association in Nigeria.

He further called for collaborations amongst cocoa stakeholders to move the cocoa sector forward in Nigeria.

The Chief of Party USDA-LWR Trace Project in Nigeria, Mr Nene Akwerty talked about the success of their projects and the states that are currently benefiting.

He appreciated CFAN for their cooperation and support with the Trace Project team for achieving many successes.

He went further to say that specific collaborations in Cross River, Abia, and Akwa-Ibom and the one recently done in Ibadan, showed that Oyo state enjoyed the collaboration with the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture despite not being one of the six mandatory states of the project in Nigeria.

In the words of the Southwest Farmers’ leader, Chief Dasaolu, acknowledged the giant strides of Adegoke, adding that he was never in doubt having achieved a lot in his leadership at the CFAN level and this must have contributed to the greater role at the regional level. He said he believed in his capacity to deliver within any role assigned to him anytime.

He prayed for his success and enjoined all cocoa farmers to rally around him to achieve the set goals at the African level.

Also, the Deputy President of AFAN, Engr. John Olateru congratulated Adegoke for his new leadership role at the continental level and emphasised the need for farmers in Nigeria to be united, and to enjoy the government’s benefits.

He called for collaboration between COFAAA and AFAN at the regional level.

The Chairman of, the House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture in Oyo State, Olagunju talked about the various policies made towards stopping open grazing of animals in Oyo State to protect the agricultural resources of the state and that it’s now left for the law enforcement agencies to enforce the laws. He appreciated the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde for his kind gesture to the farmers for creating a sustainable environment for the farmers to develop the state agriculturally.

Mr Samson Gbadamosi, the Representative of the Director of Cooperative, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Innovation, talked about the ultimate goal of COFAAA which is to see to the advancement of cocoa farmers in Nigeria and Africa at large.

The unveiling of COFAAA through individual registration as a member of COFAAA in Nigeria was led by Olagunju, with other dignitaries and representatives of cocoa farmers present at the event.