Soji Ajibola, Ibadan
68,000 Nigerian cocoa farmers from Ondo, Osun Ekiti, Cross Rivers and Abia states have been enlisted to benefit from the United States of America and and Lutheran World Relief Progress programme.
This was disclosed by the Counselor for Agricultural Affairs, U.S. Mission Nigeria, Gerald Smith on Friday.
He disclosed that the project is worth approximately $22 million and would be implemented over the next five years.
Lutheran World Relief project according to him would be carried out Abia, Cross River, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Ondo and Osun states.
He added that at least 68,000 farmers from the listed states would benefit from the projects.
He said, In particular, the project will target farmers in low productivity but high promising areas, as well as farmers in high density, high productivity communities.
Smith explained the project would employ an approach that enables farmers to not only produce more cocoa and preserve the land’s fertility and biodiversity, but also realize an important triple bottom line of people, profit, and planet.
“The primary objective of the Food for Progress project is to increase cocoa productivity by leveraging climate smart agricultural measures. In addition, the project will support improved access to inputs, technical resources and capacity, post-harvest processing and export mar the project will employ an approach that enables farmers to not only produce more cocoa and preserve the land’s fertility and biodiversity, but also realize an important triple bottom line of people, profit, and planet.
“Food for Progress program is the cornerstone of United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service international capacity-building efforts with the principal objectives of improving agricultural productivity and expanding trade of agricultural products
“Over the years, Food for Progress projects have trained farmers in animal and plant health, improved farming methods, developed road and utility systems, established producer cooperatives, provided microcredit, and developed agricultural value chains.
“The Foreign Agricultural Service is the overseas arm of the United States Department of Agriculture. It offers a variety of services to American and Nigerian agribusiness companies, government and non-government entities involved in agricultural trade and development. Through a variety of programs, the service helps developing countries strengthen sustainable agricultural practices by providing capacity building opportunities.” He said
