By: Tolulope Oluwole
Some Cocoa farmers in Ondo State have been rewarded by Barry Callebaut Nigeria, for doing well in cocoa production and also as a way of giving back to the communities and to encourage them for more production.
The programme of rewarding the farmers in Ondo State, was held at Emiloro community in Oda, Akure south local government area.
Under the program, the management of Barry Callebaut Nigeria will pay an additional premium totaling 26 million Naira for deliveries of sustainable cocoa beans in the 2021-2022 season in Ondo and Cross-river states.
In his address, Adriaan Verbeke, Managing Director of Barry Callebaut Nigeria Cocoa and Chocolate, noted that the company started their activities in Nigeria two years ago and the two major reason for coming to Nigeria is to promote Nigeria cocoa in general and make sure that cocoa is exported in better quality, adding that the other reason is to work very closely with farmers in general.
The MD said, “We have a sustainability program within our company. The program is to help farmers increase their livelihood and make sure that they increase their revenue. We make premiums for farmers that have supplied and worked together with us, next year, we will expand the program to many regions”.
While urging Nigerian government to make sure they encourage young people into farming and also make sure that farmers have increased and improved production, the Managing Director stressed that having seen different level of farming, Ondo State has the understanding of what needs to be done, they have the right tools, seedlings and products, their level of farming is of good standards.
Adriaan Verbeke, thanked the farmers for their collaboration, promising that the company would continue to come with more programs, and trainings, bringing in different services to improve their farming.
Mr Gbenga Abisoye, Managing Director, Gurabore Resources Nigeria Limited said “the company has been trying to see how they can give back to the community to encourage and enhance production and quality.
“We’ve been trying severally but failed and I think we just got it right now. By next year, we will have more gifts to give out like this just to encourage the farmers.
“Government doesn’t listen to stakeholders, whatever gift they want to give to farmers are getting to the right channel, that’s why we came together as stakeholders and see how we can encourage the farmers, if we start this, maybe the government can borrow from our ideas,” the Managing Director said.
Abisoye encouraged them to supply more as the gift is like an additional payment to them, because they have been paid for the cocoa that was bought from them.
Mr Oladimeji Busuyi, a cocoa Farmer at Emiloro community, Oda in Akure South local government area, who is also one of the beneficiaries said, there has been so many programs in Emiloro but they have never been faithful like Barry Callebaut.
His words “we thought that they were telling lie the first time they came here but all we thought was a lie has now become truth. They promised to give us chemicals, money and they did and also provided many things that farmers needed, they have been able to profound solutions to problems and obstacles to our cocoa trees, they followed us to our farms, trained us on how to plant new seedlings of cocoa.
“I’ve never benefited anything from the government ever since I’ve been farming, many years ago, they came to organize a program, promised heaven and earth but they haven’t been sincere,” he said.
Also, Mrs Bisoye Ayeku, one of the beneficiaries, stated that the gift is really an encouragement and it will motivate her to do more; “I just want to thank them for their support towards our farming, we also want to plead to them to give us modern seedlings so that our farms can be producing something better. We also need chemicals to control weed”, she said.
