NAERLS calls for best practices across value-chain in cocoa production

The National Agriculture and Extension Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS) has called for strict adherence to international best practices in the cultivation of Cocoa to promote its exports.
The Director-General of NAERLS, Prof. Emmanuel Ikani, made the call on Monday in Lagos.
Ikani encouraged the resuscitation of cocoa exports, urging farmers to adopt the international best practices in the value-chain for its acceptability in the global market.
“This is the time for agriculture and it is the time for cocoa export to be explored.
“To resuscitate the export of cocoa, we must start well. Starting well mean we must abide with all good practices in cultivation of any crop.
“If we aim to supply the international markets, there are standards we must meet.
“The global food market has standards and to get there, all good agricultural practices must be adhered to along the value-chain right from the input, to cultivation, to harvesting, to processing, branding, packaging and marketing standard.
“There is a right quality of cocoa that is required in the international market for chocolate, beverages and confectioneries. A farmer that has his eye on the global cocoa market must get the right cocoa seeds.
“To export cocoa, the farmer must think like an entrepreneur, he must have an entrepreneurial drive.
“The farmer who wants to export cocoa must have all the governing laws for cultivation of cocoa on his fingertips.
“To get our cocoa accepted for export in the global market we must abide strictly by international best practices in the cultivation of the crop,” he said.
Ikani further encouraged a deviation from an economy depending on oil to full reliance on agriculture development.
“Cocoa was one of the major export commodity in Nigeria in the 60s. It was Cocoa that made Nigeria earn the name as the Giant of Africa.
“When you go to Ibadan you see a five-storey building that was built because of Cocoa. Ibadan as a town had colour television before Paris and all these were driven by proceeds from cocoa.
“Oil discouraged us from agriculture and now that it is dwindling we have no choice but to resuscitate our agriculture sector.
“With the dwindling prices of petroleum in the international market and the effect of the pandemic on economy, it is high time we go back to agriculture.
“The last National Bureau of Statistics on Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), indicated agriculture as the major contributor to the nation’s GDP with Petroleum below the third position.
“It is time we pay more attention to the Nigerian agriculture sector to put economy on the right track,” Ikani said.