Ekiti Moves to Align Cocoa Production with Global Standards Under TRACE Programme.
The Ekiti State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has said it will enforce stricter standards in cocoa production as part of efforts to align the state with global best practices under the TRACE project.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, announced this at a two-day stakeholders’ workshop organised in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The event brought together cocoa farmers, processors, regulators, and industry stakeholders to discuss sustainable production and traceability requirements.
Mr Boluwade described cocoa as central to Ekiti’s rural economy and said the government was determined to reposition the sector to meet international market standards, particularly in environmental protection, responsible land use, and product traceability.
He said the TRACE initiative would educate stakeholders on modern production techniques and compliance with global supply chain standards while discouraging encroachment on protected forest reserves.
“Strict adherence to due process will enhance the credibility of Ekiti cocoa in the international market, improve farmers’ incomes and strengthen investor confidence,” he said.
The commissioner noted that the initiative forms part of Ekiti State’s broader strategy to modernise its cocoa industry and strengthen cash crop production in line with global best practices.
According to him, the Oyebanji Administration is making conscious efforts to revive and expand the cocoa sector — historically one of the state’s key agricultural strengths — through several state-led programmes, including the distribution of subsidised and improved cocoa seedlings to farmers.
He said a major initiative provides up to 50 per cent subsidy on cocoa and other tree crop seedlings to encourage planting, replace old or burnt trees, and attract new farmers, particularly youths, into cocoa farming.
The government also supports farmers with agrochemicals and pest/disease control inputs to boost yields. Noting that other measures taken the administration include modernisation, training, and capacity building for farmers on climate-smart and modern agronomic practices aimed at improving productivity, sustainability, and resilience.
Mr Boluwade added that Ekiti had been selected as a model state for the European Union’s Deforestation-Free Cocoa Initiative (EUDR), which ensures cocoa produced for export complies with sustainability standards, including being grown without deforestation. The state’s forestry regulations and land management plans are being aligned to meet these requirements.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Babatope Ojo, said compliance challenges were largely linked to limited awareness among farmers. He said the ministry would intensify extension services and capacity-building programmes to bridge knowledge gaps.
Mr Ojo also highlighted collaboration with the Ekiti State Forestry Commission to prevent illegal farming in protected areas and ensure cocoa expansion does not undermine environmental sustainability.
The ministry’s Director of Tree Crops, Tope Alao, said the workshop provided practical guidance on traceability systems, including farm mapping, record keeping, and compliance procedures. He noted that clear documentation of cocoa origin and supply chains is increasingly required to access premium international markets.
Mr Wale Awoyemi, representing the USDA under the TRACE project, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting productivity, quality improvement, and traceability mechanisms in the state.
Participants described the workshop as timely and pledged to adopt the new standards, comply with traceability requirements, and support efforts to protect forest reserves while increasing cocoa output.
The Workshop marks a significant step towards the Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji's agenda on cash crop production in conformity with the global best practices.
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