Sustainability Payments: Firm Empowers 2,062 Osun Cocoa Farmers With N158m

A food and agro-allied company in Nigeria, WACOT Limited, has disbursed over N158 million in Sustainability Differential Payments (SDP) to 2,062 cocoa farmers in Osun State.

The company, which is the agro-allied division of the TGI Group, said the payments marked a significant milestone in its commitment to rewarding sustainable agricultural practices.

In a press statement issued by WACOT yesterday, the statement said the ceremony, tagged “Rewarding Commitment: Cocoa Premium and Farmer Appreciation Event,” held at St. Mary Primary School in Ile-Ife, was used to recognise 57 exceptional farmers with an additional N5.8 million for their outstanding contributions.

It added that the event highlighted TGI Group’s integrated approach to transforming cocoa farming into a more sustainable, traceable and profitable enterprise for rural communities.

The SDP is a monetary reward designed to incentivise and reward farmers who adhere to verifiable sustainability criteria, including good agricultural practices, traceability, and environmental safeguards.

In her address, head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at TGI Group, Yosola Onanuga, extended gratitude to the farmers, saying, “We’re happy to be doing this farmer award ceremony.

We appreciate your commitment and consistency in ensuring that your cocoa meets the quality standards we require. We’re here to support you and to extend our gratitude to your commitment to this cocoa family.”

The initiative underscores TGI Group’s core mission of empowering communities through financial inclusion and technology. By leveraging digital payment platforms, the program ensures transparency, security, and efficiency, bringing unbanked and underbanked farmers into the formal financial ecosystem. This approach not only guarantees that farmers receive their premiums directly and promptly but also provides them with the tools to manage their finances securely.

The event also featured heartfelt testimonials from beneficiary farmers who highlighted the transformative impact of WACOT’s agricultural support programmes.

A cocoa farmer, Olaosun Rebecca, said, “Since the arrival of WACOT Limited and their involvement in our cocoa planting process, they have helped us tremendously. They provided us with medicine, and the cocoa plantation has been yielding great harvests.”

Another beneficiary, Mr Chukwuma Agha, said, “We have benefited greatly from WACOT Limited. They taught us how to implement climate-smart agricultural practices for our plants. The results have been remarkable.”