The long-anticipated and awaited 2024 Annual Inhouse Research Review of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) located in Ibadan, Oyo State, began on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, with sessions aimed at building on the previous milestone achievements, solve the current food crises as well as further the tides of ensuring sustainable economic growth in Nigeria.

Held at the premises of the institute under the theme: “Varietal Development of Cocoa, Kola, Coffee, Cashew and Tea for Sustainable Circular Economic Growth in Nigeria,” the 3-day event attracted research institutes, scientists, researchers, academicians, farmers, agricultural experts and stakeholders, government institutions, among others.

At the event, the minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, urged researchers and institutes in the agricultural sector to key their research along with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to have enough food for Nigerians.

Represented by the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Prof. Garba Hamidu Sharubutu, the minister emphasized the necessity of research in solving the present food crisis, saying that “you know very well that each administration has its policy and agenda, and of top priority of Bola Tinubu agenda is the issue of agricultural development as well as food security.”

Speaking to CEOAFRICA, Sharubutu noted that the CRIN inhouse review is planning for the next season as research must be properly screened to ensure alignment with the mandate of the federal government before they are vetted to go on the field.

The Director of the institute, Dr. Patrick O. Adebola, assured that the institute is working with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which is to ensure the availability of food for Nigerians.

In an interview with CEOAFRICA, Adebola also explained that the institute’s annual research review “is an annual ritual preceding the start of our research activities on the field” adding that, “it’s a forum where researchers, scientists give account of the proposals they have in the coffin, what they intend to do and its relevance to the small-scale farmers and country.”

He added that “It’s a forum where we gather our scientists in the institute, stakeholders, including the farmers, and farmers association, relevant government agencies to our mandate crops. It is time we come together to look at what we intend to do during the year”.

The Keynote speaker, Dr Joseph Minari, an expert in Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of Lagos, told CEOAFRICA that the intention of his presentation is to stimulate the hearts of researchers to be able to write strong and grant-winning proposals that will get them enough funding for research to solve the problem of food security in Nigeria. He listed factors affecting cocoa production in Nigeria as, lack of funds, the concentration taken aware from cocoa to oil, and poor collaboration among relevant institutes, stakeholders, and agencies.

The opening session of the 3-day inhouse review also featured presentation of research programmes by various researchers and scientists which attracted comments and criticisms from attendees.

Dr Oluyemi Shittu of Johnvent Industries Limited, in her contribution, alerted Nigerians to the crisis in cocoa production, urging Nigeria to learn from the disease that struck Ivory Coast in cocoa production to take drastic steps before it spreads to Nigeria.

The ongoing event will last till Thursday, April 25, 2024.