By Kelvin Obambon
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Hon. Johnson Ebokpo, on Wednesday, outlined an ambitious vision to revolutionize Cross River’s cocoa and coffee sectors at a Cocoa and Coffee Investors Roundtable held at the Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar.
Speaking on behalf of the state governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, Ebokpo emphasized that Cross River is shifting from being a mere supplier of raw cocoa and coffee beans to becoming a processing and value addition hub. “We are ready to do things differently,” he declared, highlighting the state’s commitment to building a proudly African ecosystem rooted in production, processing, and branding.
The roundtable brought together investors, producer alliances, NGOs, researchers, unions, and government officials to discuss opportunities within the cocoa and coffee value chains. Central to the discussions was the state’s 7-Year Strategic Cocoa and Coffee Development Plan, which includes establishing six new cocoa estates, piloting Arabica and Robusta coffee cultivation, and defining a unique flavor identity for Cross River’s produce to meet global market demands.
The Commissioner also announced investments in small-scale processing hubs equipped with fermentation tanks, depulping units, and solar-powered drying systems across key local government areas. This initiative, according to him, aims to ensure that cocoa and coffee are refined and packaged locally, creating jobs and boosting the economy.
He said smallholder farmers, who constitute over 70% of producers, remain at the heart of the plan, with access to land, training, inputs, and fair pricing priority. He added that women and youth are also positioned as leaders through targeted agribusiness programs.
The Commissioner called for strong public-private partnerships, ethical investment, and collaboration to build a sustainable legacy. “Cocoa and Coffee are more than commodities. They are carriers of community, culture, and legacy,” he concluded.
Earlier, Wife of the Governor, Bishop (Mrs) Eyoanwan Otu, who declared the event open, commended stakeholders for rallying around a shared vision. Represented by Dr Inyang Asibong, Mrs Eyoanwan stated that the investors roundtable was not only about crops but about cultivating opportunity, dignity, and prosperity for farmers, women, youth and future generation.
“Together, we plant the seeds of transformation,” she said.
Dr. Coffie Mawuli, Country Director of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) for Ghana and Nigeria, called for a renewed commitment to sustainable growth in the cocoa sector in Cross River. Highlighting WCF as the world’s largest cocoa business association, Dr. Mawuli outlined initiatives aimed at balancing economic growth with environmental conservation.
He introduced the Deforestation-Free Cocoa Initiative, a collaborative effort involving government agencies, farmers, and private partners, targeting deforestation reduction while boosting cocoa productivity through agroforestry and climate-smart farming.
Mawuli also identified key investment opportunities in local processing, digital traceability, capacity building, carbon markets, and youth-driven agri-tech innovation. He stated that Cross River’s rich forest cover and government commitment position the state as a prime destination for sustainable cocoa investment.