Ekiti cocoa seedlings plan aims to raise 10 million plants in 10 years to revive production and strengthen the state’s economy

Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, in Ado Ekiti on Sunday announced an Ekiti cocoa seedlings plan to produce 10 million cocoa seedlings over the next decade as part of efforts to revitalise cocoa production in the state.

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Boluwade said the initiative is designed to reverse declining yields caused by ageing plantations, with the government targeting the production of one million seedlings annually for 10 years.

The commissioner disclosed that the programme would be implemented in collaboration with the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the TRACE Project, which focuses on sustainable cocoa sourcing.

According to Boluwade, the partnerships will support farmers with modern agricultural techniques, improved seedlings and best practices in fermentation and quality control to meet international standards.

“The programme promotes traceability, environmental protection and ethical production,” he said, noting that cocoa produced under the scheme must not originate from deforested areas or involve child labour.

As part of early implementation, 28 farmers engaged in nursery development have received irrigation pumps valued at millions of naira to enable year-round seedling production.

The state government also plans to distribute improved, high-yield and climate-resilient cocoa seedlings at a 50 per cent subsidy, alongside agrochemicals, to encourage wider participation among farmers.

Boluwade added that the improved varieties are capable of maturing within three years, offering quicker returns and strengthening farmer confidence.

The initiative is further linked to broader economic goals, with Ekiti seeking to leverage the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Programme supported by the African Development Bank to boost value addition and job creation in the cocoa sector.

To support agricultural planning, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency is expected to provide weather forecasts to guide planting cycles, with full rainfall projected by mid-April.

Distribution of the subsidised seedlings will be decentralised to ensure accessibility across the state, with farmers to receive guidance on participation.

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The Ekiti cocoa seedlings plan is seen as a strategic intervention to restore the state’s prominence in Nigeria’s cocoa value chain, while driving rural development and economic growth.