OYO COCOA RESTORATION PROJECT: MAKINDE’S GOVERNMENT TARGETS ONE MILLION SEEDLINGS, STRENGTHENS VALUE CHAIN FOR 2026–2029

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OYO COCOA RESTORATION PROJECT: MAKINDE’S GOVERNMENT TARGETS ONE MILLION SEEDLINGS, STRENGTHENS VALUE CHAIN FOR 2026–2029



… OYSADA Mobilises Investors, Public and Private Sectors, Development Institutions, Farmers and Other Stakeholders


IBADAN, OYO STATE — The Oyo State Government has commenced a comprehensive Cocoa Restoration Project (CRP) designed to revitalise the State’s cocoa sector, strengthen the entire cocoa value chain and position the commodity as a major driver of Agricultural transformation, investment, employment and wealth creation between August 2026 and August 2029.


The initiative was a major focus at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop held on 31st August, 2026 at A.A. Adeshina Agripreneurs Building IITA, Ibadan involving investors, development institutions, cocoa farmers, government agencies, private-sector operators and other critical stakeholders in the Agricultural ecosystem.

Speaking on the project, the Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) and Executive Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Agribusiness and International Cooperation Development, Dr. Adebowale “Debo” Akande, DBA, CMGR, FCMI, described the Cocoa Restoration Project as a fully funded Oyo State Government initiative, stressing that the project is particularly dear to the heart of Governor Seyi Makinde because of its potential to improve the livelihoods of farmers and strengthen the State’s economy.


According to him, the project is neither accidental nor reactionary but an intentional and deliberate component of Oyo State’s long-term Agribusiness strategy.


Dr. Akande explained that cocoa development had been embedded in the State’s Agribusiness strategy since 2019, adding that the present administration was determined to translate the strategy into measurable interventions that would deliver sustainable benefits to farmers and the wider economy.


“This is not an accidental action. It is intentional and deliberate. We are looking forward to the kind of partnerships that can support development, including Public-Private Partnerships, development institutions and other public and private-sector stakeholders,” Dr. Akande stated.


OYO’S COCOA POTENTIAL


Cocoa remains one of Nigeria’s strategic export commodities and an important source of foreign exchange and rural livelihoods. Oyo State is also recognised among Nigeria’s major cocoa-producing states, with an estimated production volume of about 33,000 metric tonnes.


Of the 18 Local Government Areas identified as cocoa-producing areas in Oyo State, six have been prioritised for the initial phase of the Cocoa Restoration Project. They are Oluyole, Ona Ara, Akinyele, Lagelu, Egbeda and Afijio Local Government Areas.


The project is expected to adopt a comprehensive value-chain approach, moving beyond production to include improved seedlings, nursery development, farmer capacity building, aggregation, processing, market access, investment and other critical components required to make cocoa farming more productive and commercially sustainable.


ONE MILLION SEEDLINGS FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS


A major target of the initiative is the production and distribution of one million improved cocoa seedlings to smallholder farmers across the State.


According to OYSADA, the seedlings are expected to become available between April and June 2027, creating a significant opportunity to expand cocoa cultivation and rejuvenate existing farms with improved planting materials.


The Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), Oyo State Chapter, is expected to play an important role in mobilising and supporting farmers throughout the implementation process.


The project will also provide opportunities for nursery operators, particularly through the development of quality planting materials and the establishment of sustainable nursery systems.


SCIENCE, LOGIC AND DATA AS IMPLEMENTATION PRINCIPLES


Dr. Akande further emphasised that the Cocoa Restoration Project would be guided by the principles of Science, Logic and Data, ensuring that interventions are evidence-based, measurable and responsive to the realities of farmers and the cocoa industry.


He stressed that modern agriculture has moved beyond rhetoric, noting that the State Government is approaching Agribusiness development with determination, coordination and measurable outcomes.


He explained that the cocoa initiative would not operate in isolation from other agricultural and economic development programmes being implemented across Oyo State.


Programmes such as the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) and Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (N-CARES) are expected to complement the broader Agricultural development architecture.


The L-PRES intervention, he noted, is contributing to the development of rural infrastructure and access through feeder-road interventions under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), while SAPZ is focused significantly on the industrial and processing dimensions of Agricultural development.


OYSADA, IITA, CRIN AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS


The Cocoa Restoration Project is being coordinated by OYSADA, with technical support from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and collaboration with relevant public and private-sector stakeholders.


The State Government is also seeking partnerships with development institutions, investors, technical organisations and private-sector players to ensure that the project delivers a sustainable and commercially viable cocoa ecosystem.


Dr. Akande noted that development institutions could contribute both technical expertise and funding support, while private-sector participation would be critical to unlocking investment, processing capacity, market opportunities and value addition.


YOUTHS AND WOMEN AT THE CENTRE OF THE PROJECT


Another important dimension of the Cocoa Restoration Project is the deliberate inclusion of youths and women in the cocoa value chain.


The initiative is expected to create opportunities beyond farming, including nursery operations, farm management, aggregation, processing, logistics, technology, marketing and other Agribusiness activities.


By deliberately involving young people and women, the project seeks to position cocoa not merely as an Agricultural commodity but as a platform for entrepreneurship, employment creation, household income improvement and rural economic development.


The Oyo State Government believes that the restoration of the cocoa sector must be comprehensive, inclusive and sustainable, with smallholder farmers placed at the centre of the value chain.


The Cocoa Restoration Project therefore represents another strategic step in Governor Seyi Makinde’s broader vision of transforming Oyo State from an agricultural-producing economy into a competitive agribusiness and value-addition hub, where farmers have improved access to inputs, infrastructure, knowledge, markets, investment and sustainable income.


As implementation progresses from August 2026 to August 2029, OYSADA and its partners are expected to deepen stakeholder engagement, strengthen institutional collaboration and establish measurable milestones towards restoring Oyo State’s cocoa economy.


The message from the stakeholders’ workshop is clear: the future of cocoa in Oyo State will be built deliberately with science, partnership, investment, data and the farmer at the centre.

E-Signed:
Written/Reported By
✍️ Moyosoreoluwa Olamilekan Eldreez
(IJOBA AUTHORITY MOE)
Media and Public Affairs Analyst