By Yemi Olajutemu
Aso Ekiti
The effort of the current administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji at transforming the fortunes of the state through agricultural development has started yielding positive results as the state the government would be in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the Traceability and Resilience in Agriculture and Cocoa Ecosystem (TRACE) project.
The Lutheran World Relief (LWR), a project which is to be implemented in collaboration with the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), C-Lever, and Econometrica has been awarded funding under the USDA’s Food for Progress program
A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor of Agriculture and Food Security Mr Ebenezer Boluwade explained that the project is to strengthen the cocoa value chain in Nigeria.
A delegation from the Ekiti State Government, led by Boluwade and the Special Adviser on Investment, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Tayo Adeola as well as senior members of staff from Ministry Agriculture/Forestry Commission met with the TRACE delegates.
The TRACE team led by their Deputy Chief of Party, Mr. Wale Awoyemi, and the CRIN team, led by Dr. Moses Ogunlade discussed extensively with the Government’s team on the baseline studies on cocoa production in the state.
The state officials reiterated the government’s commitment to providing enabling environment and policy support for the successful implementation of the TRACE project.
According to Boluwade
“The state has a reliable database of farmers and access to land in the cocoa-producing belt that is suitable for production.
LWR’spartnership with the Ekiti State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will deliver sustainable programs that will expand the state’s access to competitive markets for cocoa trade, potentially earn revenue, and move smallholder farmers out of chronic vulnerability and poverty.
The TRACE project is a significant step towards improving traceability and resilience in agriculture and the cocoa ecosystem in Nigeria.
The Ekiti State Government looks forward to a successful collaboration with the USDA, LWR, CRIN, IITA, C-Lever, and Econometrica to achieve the set goals of the project. The project, which is worth approximately $22 million, covering six states of Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Cross River, Abia and Akwa Ibom states and will be implemented over the next five years