Coffee farming returns to Plateau amidst challenges
Nigeria’s coffee industry holds vast potential worth billions of dollars annually but struggles with low production, aging tree and insufficient investment in recent times. Although Robusta beans – a distinct coffee with high caffeine content – dominate local production, farmers often miss out on global price booms due to limited output. As a result, Nigeria’s […]
coffee
Nigeria’s coffee industry holds vast potential worth billions of dollars annually but struggles with low production, aging tree and insufficient investment in recent times.
Although Robusta beans – a distinct coffee with high caffeine content – dominate local production, farmers often miss out on global price booms due to limited output. As a result, Nigeria’s coffee exports remain modest, making the industry to lag behind in the global market.
Plateau State is among Nigeria’s top coffee-producing regions while the Mambilla Plateau in neighbouring Taraba State is renowned for its ideal coffee-growing conditions with high altitude and cool climate perfect for Arabica beans.
But in recent years, farmers in Plateau State said coffee cultivation had been declining due to lack of market access and capital for farming inputs, including fertilisers and seeds, among other challenges.
In a move to revive coffee cultivation in the state, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has distributed seedlings and manure as part of the intervention to encourage farmers to restart production.
Farmers explain difficulties in coffee farming
Many farmers who expressed optimism over the development noted some challenges and their experiences prior to now, saying the intervention would assist them a lot in going back to coffee farming.
Caroline Choji, a farmer who had abandoned coffee production, said the development was a welcome idea.
She said, “I am happy that this intervention has come. Before now, we had challenges of water during dry season and there is no market for the crop. That was why our parents abandoned the farming because we believed that there was no reason for it. You don’t do what is not profitable. But with the assurance that companies are looking for the product, we will surely go into it.”
Nancy Christopher, another coffee farmer, also expressed happiness over the intervention for the farmers, saying, “We thank God that we are now remembered, so we have no option than to go back to the farm. Before now, I cultivated the crop in a small quantity because there were no buyers, but now, we are told that there would be market for it, so we will engage in the farming.
“Also, before the intervention, getting seedlings and fertiliser was very challenging because farming inputs were very expensive, but with the distribution of fertiliser and seedlings free of charge, we are going back to the farm. Our dream has been achieved, “Nancy also said.
Dung David, another coffee farmer, said the distribution of seedlings and manure also gave him hope to restart coffee production.
David, who recalled his experience in coffee production, said, “My experience with farming coffee was a terrible one but a lesson. I mean terrible in terms of disease control. We have challenges of watering the coffee, fertiliser, human management and so on.”
He, however, said they were able to understand how to overcome those challenges.
“I am happy today that we have this intervention where we will be having simple methods of planting the crops. We now have the manure we will be using in our coffee farms. To avoid water problem, we will drip the system on each coffee to avoid consumption of fuel, as well as water from the dam,” he added.
David further said the intervention would improve coffee farming in various communities in the state, thereby “improving the economy of the farmers, state and the country in general. Value has not been given before now because of the difficulty involved in it and lack of market. So, the intervention will increase production and further boost the economy.”
Why we encourage coffee farming in Plateau – NEPC
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) says it is encouraging coffee farming in Plateau in order to boost the economy and income of farmers by distributing free seedlings and fertiliser.
Distributing the inputs at Chaha village of Jos South Local Government Area of the state, the NEPC regional coordinator, North-Central office, Julie Onmoke, gave reasons why they intervened in the production of coffee in the state.
“Last year, the NEPC conducted a survey, and part of the survey was to see why coffee production drastically reduced in the state. Findings showed that most of the trees were old. Some of them were cut down at a point in time and were used as firewood when farmers felt there was no need for them.
“Realising the challenges facing the farmers, we want to tell them that there is a serious need for coffee because it is one of the high-yielding export commodities.
“Under “one state, one product for Plateau, coffee is seen as an alternative product; and we want to increase the export basket of the Plateau. We thought that we should come and intervene and distribute high-yielding seedlings of coffee. We have also given them organic fertiliser that would be used so that when these seedlings are planted, they are properly nurtured, thereby getting the required results,” Onmoke said.
She also said there was good market for the product, but many farmers did not know where to sell it.
“There are very large markets for coffee. Presently, we have top coffee producers in the state. Kings Coffee is one of them. Copper Coffee is another. Presently, these two companies don’t even have enough supply. So, what would be produced on the Plateau is not even enough for them. They still go to neighbouring states to get the product. Market is not a problem,” she added.