The Cross River government says it will distribute 30 million coffee seedlings to smallholder farmers to cultivate about 27,000 hectares under a seven-year coffee development strategy targeted for 2033.
At a press conference in Calabar on Tuesday, the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Mr. Johnson Ebokpo described the approval of the initiative as Cross River’s coffee revolution, designed to diversify the export base beyond cocoa and strengthen internally generated revenue through sustainable coffee production.
He said government approved the phased distribution of the 30 million seedlings, beginning with five million to support smallholder farmers across the state.
According to him, about one million seedlings were distributed in 2025 before the exercise was suspended because of the late planting season.
“Distribution of the remaining four million seedlings would commence immediately following farmers enumeration and mobilization across the state,” he said.
Ebokpo said Arabica coffee species would be cultivated in the Obudu, Obanliku and parts of Boki highlands, while Robusta would be grown across the remaining Local Government Areas.
He said the state developed a coffee roadmap anchored on institutions, production, post-production, marketing, finance, sustainability and global quality standards.
The commissioner said government was establishing a Tree Crops Development Agency, amending the Produce Law and creating a coffee commodity exchange to improve market access.
Ebokpo said partnerships with international organisations and research institutions would strengthen seed multiplication, processing, traceability and compliance with global market requirements.
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He emphasized that the programme targeted women and youths, noting that women constituted the majority of enumerated coffee farmers following mobilization by the Office of the First Lady of the state.
He added that Cross River’s agricultural traceability system would ensure that coffee was produced sustainably outside forest reserves, and meeting European Union deforestation regulations.
Also speaking, Dr Hassan Kakara, National President of the National Coffee and Tea Association of Nigeria, said the initiative could create jobs, and revive Nigeria’s coffee industry.
Kakara said it would also improve farmers’ incomes through sustainable production and stronger stakeholder collaboration.
On his part, Mr. Bette Obi, Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture in the state Assembly, said the two executive bills on agriculture sent to the house had crossed the second reading and were at the committee stage.
Represented by Mr. Neji Abang, Member representing Ikom 1 State Constituency, Obi said the bills sought to amend the state’s produce law and establish a Tree Crop Development Agency.
He urged the youths to embrace the coffee revolution in the state in order to change their economic situation.
NAN
