By Amawu Cletus Albert Amawu.
CROSS RIVER FLAGS OFF STATEWIDE COFFEE VALUE CHAIN SENSITISATION AND ENUMERATION EXERCISE.
CALABAR — In a bold move to revitalise the coffee industry in Cross River State, the Government has launched a statewide sensitisation and enumeration exercise as part of a broader initiative to strengthen the coffee value chain. The campaign, spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development, aims to distribute one million high-yielding Arabica and Robusta coffee seedlings to farmers across the state.
Speaking through a press release dated 23rd May 2025, the State Government revealed it has entered a collaborative agreement with a French coffee firm, JR Farms, to support the development of the coffee value chain. The seedlings, which are being made available at a subsidised rate of ₦1,000 each, are expected to bolster coffee production, provide alternative income sources, and generate foreign exchange.
“The initiative is to provide farmers with access to high-quality seedlings that are high yielding,” stated Hon. Johnson A. Ebokpo (KSM), Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development. “It also provides an opportunity for farmers to earn alternative income during the off-peak season. This will also help the state to earn foreign exchange as well as create jobs for our teeming population.”
The government has developed an equitable allocation model based on elevation, climate factors, and soil quality to ensure fair distribution of the seedlings across all 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs). Arabica coffee, which thrives in highland areas, and Robusta coffee, suited to lowlands, will be matched accordingly to each region’s suitability.
As part of the roll-out, 56 enumerators are currently undergoing training to profile prospective farmers and organise them into cooperatives. The enumeration exercise is set to run from 26th May to 9th June 2025, during which the enumerators will carry out a door-to-door profiling exercise.
“We appeal to the National and State House of Assembly members, Commissioners, Local Government Chairmen, other State and Local Government appointees, ward Councillors, political and religious leaders, including civil society organisations, to mobilise their respective local farmers to take advantage of this unique opportunity to get enumerated and purchase subsidised hybrid coffee seedlings,” added Commissioner Ebokpo.
The government has called on the general public to support and engage with the programme, describing it as a critical avenue to shared prosperity through agricultural empowerment.
For more information, visit: www.crossriverstate.gov.ng.
