By Abdul Aji.
Recently, on June 8, 2021 to be precise, the Kogi State Chapter of National Coconut Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, NACOPPMAN, led by the Kogi State chairperson, Mrs. Hariratu Ladi Yakubu, performed the 2021 Coconut Planting Season Flag-off Exercise at Osara, in a bid to actualizing Coconut Sufficiency in Nigeria, COSIN.
In the team of Mrs. Yakubu were, Babanagari Suleiman, state secretary of NACOPPMAN and Pastor Isaac Sunday Ojonugwa, the director crops development and contract farming at Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria.
Other executive members of NACOPPMAN present were Yusufu Adinoyi Sule, Prince Yunusa Hussaini, Yusuf Opotu Muhammed, Mrs. Rabi Usman Awobajo, Mrs. Ohikere Agnes Bilikisu and Mrs. Amina Dede. They came with a specific message that each family should own at least three coconut palms; as this will enable Nigeria achieve coconut sufficiency by year 2027.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief David Ojochegbe Apeh, who was on ground to represent the state spoke well on the importance of coconut as food, health support product and its industrial uses.
The commissioner promised to give the support of his ministry to the coconut planting programme. The Kogi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development was also represented by a director.
The state chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Alhaji Salihu Adobanyi, who facilitated the acquisition of land for the planting flag-off was also there to encourage the members of AFAN to key into the coconut farming campaigns.
The planting exercise was followed with a two-day comprehensive training on Coconut Production and Processing, with the sub-theme, Accessing and Managing the Full Coconut Value Chain. The training was held at NUJ hall in Lokoja where the current national publicity secretary of NACOPPMAN, Emeka Ugwoeje, delivered lecture.
Emeka spoke comprehensively on what a prospective coconut farmer need to know. The training was attended by over a hundred participants drawn from all parts of Kogi State.
The most exciting part of the programme was that NACOPPMAN has got the approval of the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, to mobilize at least one thousand farmers from each state who are to make available one hectare of land each for the planting of coconut palm. The farmers will be provided coconut seedlings and necessary support to take off the plantation.
The news of the approval was broke to the participants by Mrs. Hariratu Yakubu, at the closing ceremony of the two-day training. The participants were highly elated with the news as the promptly provided their details for onward submission to CBN. In no distance time Kogi State will become a land with abundant coconut palms just as seen in some parts of Lagos State.
Coconut has become a sought-after food commodity, with lots of health benefits and economic values, contributing to the Nigerian non-oil sector and Gross Domestic Products, GDP. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has nurtured the National Coconut Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, NACOPPMAN, leading to its national election held on the 7th February, 2019 where Mrs. Nma Okechukwu Okoroji emerged as president. The association was officially launched on the 30th September, 2019 at Rock View Hotels, Wuse II, Abuja.
Coconut is a cash crop that grows in 22 of Nigeria’s 36 states, with Lagos State having the largest production area. Although, coconut palm is not indigenous to Nigeria but of the humid tropics, more than 90% of the nation’s coconut belt is a continuation of plantations or groves along the West African coast running from Cote d’Ivoire and southeast towards Ghana, Togo and Benin to Lagos state of Nigeria. This belt continues in a 1 kilometre wide strip of groves along some 200km of coastline in Lagos state.
The cultivation of coconut is mostly in grove forest zone of Nigeria. An estimated 36,000ha is presently under cultivation mostly in Lagos and Rivers states. An estimated 1.2 million hectare of land is suitable for coconut cultivation (NIFOR, 2008). Lagos’ coconut belt stretches about 180km length from Seme Border through Badagry, Ojo, Amuwo Odofin, Eti Osa and Ibeju Lekki. The belt continues through Ogun, Edo, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
Coconut farming is a venture that can provide LIFE LONG PENSION for any individual in Nigeria. Unlike cash crops like cocoa, cashew and oil palm where you need to spend a lot of money on pesticides to tackle diseases like fungal and pest infestations, coconut trees are very rugged and largely disease and maintenance free. All you need to do is to cultivate your coconut trees on a good farmland and weed frequently for good yield.
Young people, adults, pensioners and virtually anybody can start coconut farming for a life time of income. Most coconut trees last for between 40-80 years. Coconut tree is the tree of life, cultivate it and you can be sure of a lifetime of receiving income. Coconut plantation is been used as a reliable pension scheme in countries like India, Malaysia and Indonesia with amazing results in just a few years and outliving the beneficiary. To earn more revenue from coconut farming, you can process the coconuts into coconut milk, coconut water, coco coir and coconut oil etc.
It is worthy of note that coconut is readily adaptable to inter cropping. This means that other crops such as Cassava and variety of legumes can be cultivated along with coconut for more income. This leads to improved land utilization. Some smart coconut farmers can grow grasses and fodders on their coconut farm and keep animals like cow and goats on the farm. The animals will have access to food and also provide manure for the coconut farmer. These animals can be sold for income when they are mature enough. The urine of cows in particular can be fermented and used as insecticides and folia fertilizer.
There is an amazing potential for empowerment of a wide range of rural communities and various stakeholders in the production, processing and marketing of coconut and its numerous products.
Coconuts plantations can be shared to political loyalist as a viable and sustainable empowerment strategy. A hectare of land can take 200 coconut plants. Such can be shared to a number of people or families for empowerment and stable income source rather than giving cash to people; this is more viable and evidential.
For instance, if 200 coconuts are shared among 4 people / families, that translates to a shared revenue of about N4 million per annum. Coconut can be a great source of local government income via taxes on agro harvest; great source of raw materials for wide range of industries such as the pharmaceutical, beauty and food; great foreign exchange earner, via export and exposure to an organized and ready markets.
Among other by-products, Coconut Exporter also export Edible and Dry Copra, Coconut oil, Desiccated Coconut, Coconut Shells, Coconut Shell Charcoal, Coconut Fiber, Coir Rope, Peetmoss and Briquettes, Coconut Flakes, Coconut Toddy, Coconut Vinegar, Coconut Honey and many others. Natural fresh coconuts are widely used in the food & beverage industry, cosmetic industry and health & beauty care products industry.
In Nigeria, coconut has the potential of generating over N10 billion annually for farmers in agribusiness entrepreneurs. For example, Lagos state has the potential for the production of more than 10 million coconut trees with annual production of over 1 billion husked nuts worth over N45 billion.
Currently, the production output of de-husked nuts in Nigeria is about 267,520 metric tonnes which is used in the production of less than 1,500 metric tonnes of coconut oil. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Nigeria coconut oil domestic consumption is about 10,000 metric tonnes thus leaving a supply gap of about 5,500 metric tonnes per annum.
Coconut products are used by many sectors and industries. Some of the industries or sectors where coconut products are used are Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics and Beverages, etc. Coconuts are also used in the preparation of delicacies like chocolate, crepes, candy etc.
NACOPPMAN calls on all families in Kogi State and the entire nation to see reason to plant at least three coconut palms per family; an exercise that is easy to achieve if we all hearken to this call towards achieving coconut sufficiency in Nigeria by the year 2027.
