Cross River Launches Coffee Revolution to Boost Exports

The Cross River State Government, under Governor Bassey Otu, has initiated a coffee revolution to position the state as Nigeria's leading coffee production hub. The program aims to distribute 30 million coffee seedlings to 28,000 smallholder farmers over the next seven years, covering 27,000 hectares.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify the state’s economy beyond cocoa and create thousands of jobs while increasing export earnings. Commissioner for Agriculture, Johnson Ebokpo, announced that 17,000 farmers have already been enumerated, with women being a significant portion of the beneficiaries.

The initiative will also establish a tree crop development agency and improve quality control to access premium export markets. The state collaborates with various organizations, including the FAO and CRIN, to enhance coffee quality and promote coffee tourism.

The program is expected to stimulate economic activity across the coffee value chain and improve livelihoods in Cross River State.