The Cross River State Government, through its Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development, has hosted a high-level investors’ roundtable aimed at unlocking new investment opportunities in the cocoa and coffee value chains.
The event brought together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including development partners, agribusiness leaders, and financial institutions, to chart a sustainable future for the state’s cocoa and coffee economy.
In his keynote address, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Ebokpo, said the roundtable aligns with Governor Senator Bassey Edet Otu’s vision to reposition Cross River as a hub for agro-industrial transformation. “We are moving beyond exporting raw cocoa and coffee beans. Cross River is ready to lead in value addition, local processing, branding, and job creation,” the Commissioner declared.
Ebokpo unveiled the state’s 7-Year Strategic Cocoa and Coffee Development Plan, which outlines ambitious measures to reposition the sector. These include the establishment of six new cocoa estates and the piloting of both Arabica and Robusta coffee cultivation across ecologically viable zones. The plan also emphasizes the development of a distinct Cross River flavor identity to enhance the state’s competitiveness in global markets.
The Commissioner underscored the government’s commitment to empowering smallholder farmers, who constitute more than 70 percent of producers in the state. The development plan is designed to provide these farmers with equitable land access, fair pricing structures, agronomic training, and ongoing support services. He also revealed plans to establish small-scale processing hubs in local government areas. These hubs will be equipped with fermentation tanks, solar-powered dryers, and packaging units, ensuring that value addition takes place within local communities rather than being exported elsewhere.
Ebokpo called on private investors, development partners, and financial institutions to take advantage of the state’s structured Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. He highlighted numerous opportunities in sustainable production systems, smart irrigation, commodity exchange platforms, and direct business-to-business engagement.
The roundtable was officially declared open by the Wife of the Governor, Bishop Dr. (Mrs.) Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, who was represented by Dr. Inyang Asibong, Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender Mainstreaming, reiterating the administration’s unwavering commitment to gender inclusion in agriculture, particularly within the rapidly emerging coffee value chain. She emphasized that the coffee sector must not be dominated by men alone, noting that the Governor’s wife is actively subsidizing coffee seedlings for women and deploying female extension agents across all 18 local government areas to drive women’s participation in coffee cultivation, processing, and marketing.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Coffie Mawuli, Country Director of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) for Ghana and Nigeria, commended the state’s vision, describing it as one that aligns closely with the Foundation’s goals. He praised the government’s leadership and commitment to stakeholder engagement, adding that Cross River’s strong base of smallholder farmers presents a unique strength for inclusive sectoral transformation.