FAO launches US$200M land restoration initiative for cocoa, oil palm cultivation in Nigeria

NIGERIA – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has announced plans to restore 18,000 hectares of degraded land in Cross River and Ondo states, targeting sustainable cocoa and oil palm cultivation. 

The initiative, backed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), aims to attract US$200 million in private and public investment to strengthen Nigeria’s cocoa and oil palm value chains.

Regenerative agriculture and policy development

Speaking at the FAO Participatory Informed Landscape Approach (PILA) Workshop in Calabar, FAO Climate Change Specialist Ms. Nifesimi Ogunkua highlighted that the project will rehabilitate 10,800 hectares in Cross River and 8,000 hectares in Ondo through regenerative agricultural and forestry practices. 

Beyond land restoration, the project focuses on developing two Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) frameworks at the state level and creating four integrated land-use plans at the local government level.

Additionally, at least four gender-sensitive policies, regulations, and financing frameworks will be strengthened to promote sustainable land management practices. 

A core component of the initiative involves enhancing land tenure systems, empowering smallholder farmers, and increasing women’s access to land to ensure long-term sustainability.

Alignment with European market regulations

The initiative addresses gaps identified by the Federal Government concerning the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). 

Assistant Director of Land, Environment, and Climate Change at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Iyabo Mustapha, emphasized the project’s role in helping smallholder farmers comply with international regulations, ensuring their competitiveness in European markets.

“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is also introducing additional support packages for these farmers. If we fail to address these environmental concerns, the long-term impact could be detrimental—we may not have a viable environment for future generations,” Mustapha stated.

Nigeria’s cocoa exports surge

FAO’s investment in Nigeria’s cocoa sector coincides with a surge in the country’s cocoa exports. 

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria exported US$780 million (N1.2 trillion) worth of cocoa in 2024, up from US$110 million (N171 billion) in 2023, reflecting a 606% increase in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The rise in exports was attributed to supply constraints faced by the world’s leading cocoa producers, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, due to adverse weather conditions. As a result, Nigerian cocoa farmers capitalized on the global price rally, leading to increased cultivation and revival of aged cocoa plantations.

Data from the NBS indicates that superior-quality cocoa beans worth US$310 million (N477.95 billion) were exported to the Netherlands, while Malaysia received shipments valued at US$70 million (N108.09 billion). 

Additionally, standard-quality cocoa beans worth US$72 million (N110.84 billion) were exported to the Netherlands, while Belgium imported US$32 million (N48.96 billion) worth of Nigerian cocoa.

In a move to boost agricultural productivity, Mr. Timehin Adelegbe, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Ondo constituency, distributed 100,000 improved cocoa seedlings to farmers in the region.