Entry: Chris Okafor, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture/Sustainable Tree Crops Program Nigeria
I am Chris Okafor, the Nigeria Country Manager of the Sustainable Tree Crops Program (STCP) of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). On 24th November 2007, I joined the league of World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) award recipients. The honor which is in recognition of my dedication to sustainable cocoa development in Nigeria was announced and conferred on me at a reception organized for the participants at the 12th WCF partnership meeting held at Westin Hotel, Washington DC. Reflecting on the honor thereafter, I feel strongly that the award not only underscores the importance that the WCF attaches to sustainable livelihoods for cocoa producers but it is also a challenge to STCP-Nigeria to do more of what it has done so far. It is evident that it took the commitment, passion and compassion of the leadership of WCF to recognize the positive changes STCP-Nigeria is inducing in the cocoa farming communities in Nigeria.
Clearly, sustainable cocoa production can only be attained if the thousands of smallholder farmers that dot the cocoa belt of West and Central Africa derive sustainable livelihoods from the crop. Since 2003, STCP-Nigeria has been working with national partners, as in other STCP focal countries, to develop and demonstrate a number of approaches and mechanisms that ensure that farmers not only reduce the money they shell out for farming but also put more money into their pockets. Using the platform of the new approaches, STCP-Nigeria has equally shown that farmers can be relied upon as partners in management of natural resources and mobilization against unacceptable social practices like child labor. For example, the farmer field school (FFS) approach has been effectively used to significantly enhance productivity of cocoa farms in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The introduction of FFS in cocoa production in West and Central Africa by STCP, can be explained in the words of the legendary Mahatma Ghandhi, "If the cause is right, the means will come." The WCF, USAID and other stakeholders got the cause right in 2002 when they met in Accra to establish STCP. The STCP hosted by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, based in Ibadan, Nigeria developed the means over of a period of 3 years (2003-2005).
Today, the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has adopted the FFS approach as a means of training cocoa farmers. And more importantly, cocoa farmers themselves are mobilizing in their larger numbers and raising resources to finance FFSs to learn good practices in cocoa production in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Interestingly, this is happening at a time when public expenditures on extension services are declining. The farmers are happy and riding the crest of a new wave of group learning in cocoa production to establish cooperative societies in order to maximize their incomes through collective marketing. Some government agencies are excited, watching and sometimes wondering; ‘what will be our role in this unfolding scenario?’
STCP is very clear about how sustainability can be attained in cocoa farming communities in the sub-region. It is a long term transformation process that will lift a substantial proportion of cocoa farmers out of poverty through cocoa farming, diversify marginal ones into commercially viable alternative crops or community-based income generating activities, supported by efficient commodity marketing chains and robust policy environment.
Therefore, the award to me is a clarion call to more action. STCP-Nigeria thanks WCF leadership for the recognition and uses this opportunity to extend its hands of fellowship and partnership to development investors. We must sustain the ability of cocoa farming communities to achieve sustainable livelihoods through economic growth, poverty reduction and food security.
Photo: WCF President Bill Guyton, Chris Okafor, and Clive Barnes of Nestle.