- Obasanjo called on Nigerian cocoa farmers to form stronger, unified institutions for food security
- CFAN representatives discussed the challenges and need for a collective approach
- The summit highlighted the importance of empowering farmers for better industry representation
Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has called on cocoa farmers in the country to establish robust farmer institutions as a pathway to achieving food security.
In a statement released by the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) and made available to TheRadar on Thursday, February 27, Obasanjo made the appeal following a summit of All Commodities Value Chain Associations Representatives in Nigeria.
The summit was convened by the former president to discuss strengthening Nigeria's agricultural institutions and building a resilient food supply chain.
Obasanjo urged leaders of farming associations present at the event to take control of their future by forming strong, cohesive associations centred on specific commodities.
Drawing a parallel to the influential Soybean Farmers Association of America, Obasanjo highlighted how the American body has historically played a key role in supporting presidential candidates in every election cycle.
“A strong farmers’ institution will make food security achievable through farmers’ empowerment,” Obasanjo said during his address.
The summit, which brought together cocoa farmers from across Nigeria, was an opportunity for them to discuss strategies for advancing their interests within the agricultural sector.
Obasanjo emphasised the need for cocoa farmers to adopt a unified approach to secure their place in national decision-making processes.
Earlier in the day, the National President of CFAN reflected on the evolution of the association, noting that the dissolution of the Cocoa Board in 1986 left cocoa farmers without a central body to represent their interests.
This gap, he explained, led to the formation of CFAN in order to give cocoa farmers a unified voice in government dealings and industry affairs.
“Before CFAN, the structure of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) favoured exporters and buyers, who dominated leadership roles, leaving cocoa farmers sidelined in key decisions. This imbalance led to the creation of CFAN as a platform to protect the interests of cocoa farmers at every level—from national to local,” he explained.
The CFAN summit participants agreed on the importance of forming a collective, consensus-driven association that would represent their needs more effectively in the wider agricultural framework of Nigeria.
The cocoa farmers, who were present at the event from various cocoa-producing regions across the country, came together in a unified stance to push for greater recognition and support for their industry.
Food insecurity, malnutrition threaten Nigeria’s economic stability – Speaker Abass
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had underscored the escalating crisis of malnutrition and food insecurity as critical threats to Nigeria's economic stability, public health, and community resilience.
His comments were made during the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the National Assembly’s summit on nutrition and food security in Abuja, on Thursday, October 31.
