Nigeria is home to a vibrant cocoa industry and every stakeholder – whether farmer, broker, LBA, exporter, or processor must take up the responsibility to ensure the growth of the industry is sustained
We at Sunbeth Global Concept have embraced this responsibility and are committed to re-creating the glory days of cocoa production and export in Nigeria.
Towards fulfilling this responsibility, We have completed the first phase of our cocoa seedling distribution program, reaching 55 communities and 1,500 farmers in Ondo State Nigeria. This initiative specifically ties to our commitment to improving the productivity of cocoa farmers in Nigeria.
For this first phase, our sustainability representatives distributed 30,000 high-quality, disease-resistant, and fast-growing cocoa seedlings to the Sunbeth Farmers’ Group members in Ondo State.
In the last few years, Sunbeth Global Concept has made remarkable progress in promoting sustainable cocoa production across several communities in its sourcing network. We have rolled out a comprehensive cocoa sustainability program incorporating child labour prevention, deforestation regulation, women empowerment, and farmer empowerment initiatives.
In addition to our desire to help cocoa farmers and the general ecosystem thrive, we’ve identified numerous opportunities in the Nigerian cocoa industry that aren’t being maximised. So, we’re implementing a holistic approach to enable farmers to plug into these opportunities to benefit the Nigerian cocoa ecosystem.
The key focus of this initiative is to help farmers rehabilitate and replenish their ageing cocoa plantations. The seedlings we distributed are meant to be replacements for dying trees. We believe that each cocoa seedling planted is an investment that will help preserve the industry for future generations.
By supplying and teaching farmers how to cultivate these seedlings, we’re sowing into the progress of the industry, and empowering farmers for prosperity.
Prior to distributing the seedlings to the farmers, the Sunbeth sustainability team had already trained the farmers on how to properly utilize the new seedling varieties, focusing on the best methods to cultivate them.
The training exposed the farmers to skills and knowledge that’ll enable them to maximise the potential of the cocoa seedling. It featured several modules designed to instruct farmers on the best practices to rejuvenate their farms and incorporate sustainable cocoa farming practices in their processes.
At Sunbeth, we’re dedicated to improving cocoa sustainability and the productivity of cocoa farmers in rural Nigeria. We have a clear goal to enhance the quality and quantity of cocoa produced across local communities, driving growth in the Nigerian cocoa value chain and bolstering the industry’s contribution to the national GDP.
We’re dedicated to continually supporting our farmers by functioning as a direct channel connecting them to international markets as well as equipping and training them to adopt sustainable cocoa farming practices.
This is only a fraction of our overarching mission and vision for the Nigerian cocoa industry. We envision the revival of large-scale cocoa production in Nigeria, bringing back the glory days of an agriculture-driven economy when cocoa farming and exports were the top contributors to the country’s earnings.
This is only possible if we, the government, and other major industry stakeholders continue to support farmers and incentivise them to keep up the good work.
