By AMAWU Cletus Albert Amawu.
“NO LONGER JUST RAW BEANS”- HON. EBOKPO: CROSS RIVER UNVEILS COCOA AND COFFEE VISION AT LANDMARK ROUNDTABLE.
Cross River State took a bold step towards redefining its agricultural economy today as Her Excellency, Bishop (Mrs.) Eyoawan Bassey Otu, declared open the Cocoa and Coffee Sector Roundtable in Calabar. Represented by Dr Inyang Asibong, the First Lady commended stakeholders for rallying around a shared vision, saying: “Today’s gathering is not only about crops but about cultivating opportunity, dignity, and prosperity for our farmers, women, youth, and future generations. Together, we plant the seeds of transformation.”
Held at the Metropolitan Hotel, the landmark roundtable marked the unveiling of an ambitious new strategy by the Cross River State Government to transition its cocoa and coffee industries from raw commodity suppliers to globally competitive, value-added sectors.
The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson A. Ebokpo, declared that the State was “ready to do things differently.”
“This is not just another meeting,” he told an audience of investors, development partners, producers, and stakeholders. “It is a call to strategic collaboration, a gathering of minds, institutions, and interests ready to shape the future of cocoa and coffee in our state.”
Hon. Ebokpo emphasised that Cross River would no longer be content with exporting undervalued raw cocoa and coffee beans. Instead, the State intends to process, brand, and export premium products anchored in quality, consistency, and a distinct identity.
“We are building a proudly African ecosystem rooted in production, processing, and branding, all driven by partnerships that unlock innovation, investment, and inclusion,” he stated.
As part of the State’s 7-Year Strategic Cocoa and Coffee Development Plan, the Commissioner unveiled a number of initiatives already underway. These include the establishment of six new cocoa estates, pilot cultivation of both Arabica and Robusta coffee in ecologically suitable areas, and the development of a unique flavour identity for Cross River cocoa and coffee that will resonate in global markets from Berlin to Bangkok.
In a significant move toward domestic value addition, Hon. Ebokpo announced public-private investments in small-scale processing hubs equipped with fermentation tanks, depulping units, and solar-powered drying systems.
“Our goal is clear: ensure that cocoa and coffee are refined, packaged, and elevated, not abroad, but right here on Cross River soil,” he said.
The Commissioner placed strong emphasis on inclusivity, noting that over 70 percent of producers in the state are smallholder farmers. “They are the heart of this journey,” he said, adding that the new model guarantees access to land, inputs, training, and fair pricing.
He further highlighted that women and youth are central to the state’s strategy. “They will not be spectators but leaders,” he affirmed, outlining initiatives such as nursery grants, agribusiness training, land access, and inclusive finance to support a new generation of ‘agripreneurs’.
The roundtable was also a platform for mobilising private sector commitments, innovative financing, business-to-business linkages, smart irrigation adoption, and the creation of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP)-led cocoa and coffee commodity exchange.
“Our PPP framework is not a slogan,” Hon. Ebokpo said. “It is a deliberate, structured approach to de-risk investment, ensure accountability, and build lasting impact.”
He called on all investors and partners to bring not just capital, but also an ethical commitment to local communities and long-term sustainability.
“Cocoa and coffee are more than commodities. They are carriers of community, culture, and legacy,” he concluded. “Let us build that legacy together, with pride, integrity, and purpose.”
The roundtable is seen by many observers as a defining moment in Cross River’s agricultural history, setting the state on a path toward inclusive, sustainable, and market-led agribusiness transformation.
In attendance were key stakeholders including Prof. Susan Ohen, Chairman, Cross River State Multi-Stakeholder Committee on Cocoa, Coffee and Oil Palm; Prof. John Shiyam, Special Adviser to Governor Otu on Agriculture; Dr Coffie Mawuli, Country Director, World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), Ghana and Nigeria; Mrs Nana Paturel, GreenVest Capital Nigeria Limited; Hon. Bette Obi, Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources, Cross River State House of Assembly; Dr Francis Ntamu, Director General, Bureau for Public-Private Partnership, Cross River State; Rt. Hon. George Oben-Etchi, Director General, Forestry Commission; Prof. Adebayo Shittu, Chief Technical Adviser on FAO-FOLUR-IP, represented by Dr Charles Ikpeme; Rt. Hon. Daniel Asuquo (Dansuki), and Dr Usman Hassan, National President, Coffee/Tea Association of Nigeria, alongside management staff of financial institutions and other stakeholders.
