EU, Edo Explore Investment Opportunities In Cocoa, Dairy, Livestock

The European Union (EU) and the Edo State Government have explored investment opportunities in agriculture and livestock development as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation ahead of the state’s proposed international agricultural and livestock investment summit in 2027.

The discussions took place when the EU Head of Cooperation, Massimo De Luca, received a delegation from the Edo State Government at the EU Delegation office in Abuja.

The Edo delegation was led by the Special Adviser on Livestock Development, Hon. Roland Igbadumhe, and included the Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Emmanuel Sule, and the Director of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Dr Lucky Adebudo.

The meeting was convened by Sule as part of ongoing consultations with diplomatic missions on the forthcoming Edo International Agricultural and Livestock Investment Summit, scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Igbadumhe said the EU’s investment priorities in cocoa and dairy production aligned with the Edo State Government’s agricultural and livestock development plans.

He disclosed that the state had more than 10,000 hectares of land available for livestock production and planned to expand cocoa cultivation by allocating more than 20,000 hectares to cocoa farmers over the next three years.

Igbadumhe described the meeting as fruitful, saying the EU had pledged to collaborate with the state government on its investment drive.

He added that a high-level meeting would be organised soon to enable Governor Monday Okpebholo to meet with the EU Ambassador as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the state and the European Union.