By Edem Ekpo, Calabar
The Cross River State Government has reiterated its commitment to expanding partnerships with relevant stakeholders to transform the agricultural sector and boost exports by leveraging the state’s strategic location and access to international markets.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation, Dr. Johnson Ebokpo, stated this while declaring open a one-day Coffee Stakeholders Investment Forum held in Calabar. The event sought to promote sustainable coffee production, attract private investment, and strengthen the coffee export value chain.
Organized by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Cross River State Coordination Office in collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), the forum had as its theme “Coffee Value Chain Development: A Focus on Sustainability and Economic Diversification.”
According to the organisers, the meeting also aimed to equip local farmers with innovative practices that would enhance large-scale farming for both local consumption and export.
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Dr. Ebokpo described the initiative as timely and aligned with Governor Bassey Otu’s agricultural transformation agenda, which emphasizes food security and improved export earnings. He revealed that the state government has distributed over 100,000 coffee seedlings to farmers in the Northern and Central Senatorial Districts to revive coffee cultivation and establish coffee estates through public-private partnerships.
In his remarks, Dr. Osas Omorogbe, the NEPC State Coordinator, said the forum was part of the Council’s mandate to promote non-oil exports and position Cross River as a leading hub for coffee production and export in Nigeria. He added that the engagement provided a platform for stakeholders to share ideas, explore investment opportunities, and strengthen collaboration along the coffee value chain.
Representing the Executive Director of NEPC, the South-South Regional Coordinator, Arc. Benedict Itegbe, in a keynote address delivered by Mrs. Sussan Sewuese Agu, emphasized the importance of value addition in coffee production and encouraged stakeholders to explore new ventures such as coffee tourism, coffee-based skincare products, and equipment manufacturing to drive economic diversification.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Commerce, Dr. Abigail Orok Duke, reaffirmed the state government’s resolve to provide enabling policies and incentives that would attract investors. She recalled that coffee was first identified as a priority product under the One State One Product (OSOP) initiative following a resolution of the State Committee on Export Promotion. She assured participants that Cross River remains open for sustainable coffee investment.
The Overseeing Director of RMRDC, Dr. Obi Edith, who represented the Director-General, called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to enhance value addition and address the challenges facing coffee production in the country.
The technical session featured presentations from experts including Ayodele Oladipo Akinpele of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Prof. Susan Ohen, Dr. Assaim Assaim, and Dr. Osas’ Damian Omorogbe, focusing on sustainable agricultural practices, institutional roles in value chain development, investment prospects, and risk management for coffee investors.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the National Productivity Centre, Cross River Basin Development Authority, and the Calabar Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (CALCCIMA), who commended the organisers for the initiative and advocated greater collaboration to strengthen coffee production and export in the state.
The forum drew over 100 participants from federal and state ministries, private sector organisations, research institutions, and export associations.