By Anietie Akpan
Cocoa farmers in Nigeria have raised concerns on cocoa production in certain countries as regards the implementation of the European Union Deforestation (EUDR) policy.
Smarting from the just concluded World Cocoa Conference (April 21 to 24), in Brussels, Belgium, the National President,
Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), Comrade Adeola Adeoke in a statement made available to Pillar Today on Friday, said the success of the conference concerning the implementation of the EUDR policy and the willingness to adhere to new regulations has reinforced the commitment of stakeholders to change inimical practices hindering the sustainability of the global cocoa industry.
However, he said many questions are begging for answers like, “who pays for the cost of the compliance at the cocoa origin countries without necessarily overburdening again the producers that have always at the receiving end of the value chain?
“The level of preparedness of other origin countries aside Ivory Coast and Ghana that have always received the highest investment from sustainability programmes.
“Model of cooperation between the Forestry department (Afforestation mandate arm of Government) and the Agriculture department (Contributed to the high level of deforestation due to more production) of the cocoa origin countries vis-a-vis the implementation of the EUDR policy” .
Other concerns according to Adeoke include “procedure for the calculation of sustainable pricing or fair pricing that takes into consideration the cost of production and the profit margin without leaving the market model at demand and supply mechanism which has always short-changed the producers in past years?
“What happens to the encroached conserved areas with large cocoa plantations after 2020 which contributes almost 30% of the global cocoa supply if not more?
“How does cocoa origin countries strengthen the implementation of carbon credit in order for the producers to be encouraged in compliance?”
Aside these questions that demand an answer from the stakeholders, he stated that Brussels people which we mirror the EU countries have demonstrated their uncommon passion for the consumption of chocolate at every corner of their daily activities. No doubt, who pays the piper dictate the tune so says an adage.
Hence West African cocoa origin countries he said “must start to chocolatize the toques of our children in order to change the culture of low cocoa consumption that transcends from one generation to another.
“Our power must not only lies in production but more energy must be put into consumption in order to raise the livelihoods of our producers for sustainability of the cocoa economy of our region”.
