Federal ministry of agriculture and rural development has inaugurated a National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC) to develop strategies and framework aimed at revamping the cocoa industry in Nigeria.
The committee among other roles is expected to come up with an urgent draft charter for the operations of NCMC to the national assembly for legal backing in order to meet the demand of joining the Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire initiative to deliver Living Income Differential (LID) of $400 per tonnes to improve the livelihood of Nigeria’s small holder cocoa farmers.
The committee has A. G Abubakar of the ministry as the chairman, Patrick Adeola of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan as the secretary.
Other members are; Olutobasa Ajayi, Ibrahim Mohammed, S. O. G Tuayeringha, James Oyesola, comrade Adeola Adegoke among others.
Minister of agriculture and rural development, Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar while inaugurating the committee in Abuja yesterday said the committee members were drawn from all relevant stakeholders in the public and private sectors in line with global bestpractices.
He said, “The NCMC is a laudable idea and on this occasion of your inauguration is advised to drive the cocoa sector through pragmatic approach as a coordinating body by providing solutions to these challenges so as to guarantee quality, traceability, transparency and sustainability along the cocoa value chain in other to meet both our local needs and export demands.
The role of the ministry is to among others provide enabling environment which will ensure that this committee performs its role effectively”.
Permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Ernest Umakhihe said the expectations from this committee were enormous as the ministry is look forward to robust and practicable recommendations which if implemented will increase the productivity of the cocoa farmers and enhance the quality and value addition to the Nigerian cocoa sector.
