Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of Nigeria, has urged cocoa farmers in the country to establish strong and unified farmer institutions to achieve food security in Nigeria. During a summit organized by the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN) to strengthen agricultural institutions, Obasanjo emphasized the importance of farmer associations in fostering a resilient agricultural supply chain.
He challenged the farmers’ leaders to take charge of their future by creating powerful and cohesive associations similar to the Soybean Farmers Association of America, which has historically played a significant role in U.S. political matters. Obasanjo believes that such strong institutions will empower farmers and make food security achievable in the country.
The National President of CFAN, during the summit, highlighted the organization’s role in representing cocoa farmers after the dissolution of the Cocoa Board in 1986. The creation of CFAN aimed to address the exclusion of cocoa farmers from key decision-making processes and to ensure a unified voice for the farmers at all levels of government.
The summit concluded with cocoa farmers coming together to form a consensus association, the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, which will advocate for their interests.
