Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will lead stakeholders in the agricultural sector to discuss sustainable ways to boost the cocoa industry value chain in the country at the 2022 National Cocoa Festival.
The festival, scheduled to hold in Akure, Ondo state on October 13, 2022, is organised by the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria in collaboration with Ondo state government, CAN, FMARD, FMITI, Harvestfield Industry Limited, CRIN, Ondo State Cocoa Council and the Ooni of Ife Outreach. The theme, ‘Stakeholders’ Collaboration to Make Nigeria Cocoa Industry Sustainable,’ is to be anchored by Professor Oguntade of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar; Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Niyi Adebayo; Managing Director, Starlink Global and Ideal Limited, Adeyemi Adeniji, will also dialogue on repositioning the cocoa industry to boost revenue at the state and federal levels.
Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu will be honoured at the event, while his Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife will also receive an investiture at the festival.
The Managing Director, Harvestfield Industries Limited, Prince Martins Awofisayo, will give the keynote address. There will be a launch of the Yoruba version of the Cocoa GAP Handbook and the launch of the establishment of the Cocoa Academy Centre during the event.
The event will also have in attendance all commissioners for agriculture of all cocoa-producing states, all directors of produce of cocoa producing states, representatives of cocoa exporters and representatives of the cocoa stakeholders in Diaspora.
Others include the National President, Confederation of Commodities Association of Nigeria; the President and members, Cocoa Association of Nigeria, National President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria and International Cocoa Sustainability Stakeholders.
Organisations expected at the event include the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) NIRSAL and Bank of Agriculture.
