Cocoa farmers in Cross River State are to receive free hybrid seedlings and training on rehabilitation of old cocoa fields using budding and grafting system from the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN).
In a statement released by the Cross River State chapter of the association the exercise is part of the activities lined up to flag off this year’s cocoa planting and rehabilitation programme by CAN in conjunction with the Cross River State government.
Over 500,000 seedlings of the new TC1-TC8 varieties of cocoa developed by Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) will be distributed to the farmers.
The main objective is to make the new varieties available to cocoa farmers in the country’s second largest cocoa producing state.
According to the statement, the free distribution of the seedlings to farmers will further cement the state’s position and entrench the culture of using approved planting materials in cocoa farms across the 10 cocoa-producing local government areas cut across the 3 senatorial zones in Cross River.
Godwin Ukwu vice chairman and Roland Enah, zonal state chairman, both of CAN noted that the association had been providing this corporate social responsibility service for the past 10 years to support government’s effort in promoting increased cocoa production in terms of quantity and quality.
At a ceremony planned for the 2t6h and 27th of June, Anna Muyiwa, research scientists, CRIN will lead a practical session to train farmers how to undertake rehabilitation of their cocoa farms and equally demonstrate grafting and budding techniques that will help farmers to revamp their farms without losing any income.
Governor Ben Ayade will give a Keynote Address on investment opportunities in Cross River State while Ndoma Egba, former senate leader, will challenge the youth in a talk on ‘untapped opportunities for youth and women in cocoa growing regions’.
The highlight of the event will be the presentation of awards to deserving farmers and other stakeholders. The market place for the programme will feature latest technologies, inputs and products in the cocoa value chain.
