In order to increase production and farmers’ access to quality coca seed, the Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) and the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), is set to certify 14 commercial cocoa seed entrepreneurs.

Making the announcement in a statement made available to Peoples Gazette on Monday, the initiative detailed that the certificate will be issued on November 8, at CRIN’s headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State. 

In an effort to develop the market system for the production of high-quality seeds in the cocoa sector in the Niger Delta region, the project partnered with CRIN in 2021.

As a result of the relationship, 31 seed entrepreneurs received training on best nursery management in 2021, and PIND helped 14 of them start seed nurseries that generated more than 100,000 seedlings that were sold to farmers in the area.

However, once the training was finished, PIND and CRIN conducted a joint monitoring/evaluation of the 14 nursery operators in 2022.

The idea was to review their performance and adherence to the standards as well as to certify and licence them as third-party seedling producers and distributors, thereby improving the distribution network of quality, certified CRIN seeds/seedlings.

This development comes as the country continues to strive to maximise earnings from cocoa farming. Cocoa farm yields have remained low, averaging 400kg per hectare, compared to over 800kg per hectare achieved with enhanced, high-yielding agricultural practices.

The initiative linked the low yields experienced by cocoa farmers to a mix of problems, including ageing trees and farms, limited access to high-yielding varieties, and the usage of mostly older types of cocoa, among others.