The cocoa farmers in Ondo State have appealed to the state Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to review the planned forest farming policy of the state to enable them to stay in the business.
It was gathered that under the proposed framework, each farmer would be required to pay a levy of N250,000 per hectare, N150,000 for polygon mapping and N100,000 for agro-forestry with a farming permit valid for only five years.
According to the concerned farmers, the proposed policy, though well-intentioned, would pose several challenges to them in terms of affordability to pay the amounts.
The farmers, in a letter made available to our correspondent on Tuesday, and addressed to the governor by their lawyer, Olugbenga Oke-Samuel, appealed to the state government to review the forest farming policy.
The letter read in parts, ” We write on behalf of our clients, the indigenous cocoa farmers operating within the forest areas of Idanre and Akure, to respectfully seek your compassionate intervention regarding the newly proposed Government Policy on farming activities in forest reserves, particularly the Polygon Mapping initiative and the Agro-Forestry programme, introduced in compliance with the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation.
“While our clients appreciate the state government’s commitment to environmental sustainability and global trade standards, the financial and structural implications of the policy are deeply burdensome and threaten their livelihoods.
“Under the proposed framework, each farmer is required to pay a levy of N250,000 per hectare, N150,000 for polygon mapping and N100,000 for Agro-Forestry with a farming permit valid for only five years. This policy, though well-intentioned, presents several critical challenges.
Some of the challenges the farmers would face in the new policy, according to the letter, include economic hardship, disparity in mapping costs, agro-forestry charges and infrastructure burden, among others.
“In light of the above, our clients respectfully request a downward review of the N250,000 per hectare levy to reflect the economic realities of peasant farmers. Subsidisation or full sponsorship of the polygon mapping exercise to ease compliance with EUDR.
“An extension of the farming permit to at least 50 years, allowing farmers to fully benefit from their long-term investment in cocoa cultivation. A review of Agro-Forestry charges to align with the actual market costs of tree planting.
“Your Excellency, our clients believe in your commitment to equity, sustainability, and inclusive development. We trust that you will consider their plight and act in the interest of fairness and economic justice,” the letter concluded.
It was earlier reported that the cocoa farmers farming in the forest reserves in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state staged a protest on the plan by an agro-firm to take their land.
However, the Aiyedatiwa-led administration, in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said some of the farmers were occupying part of the forest, saying an investigation was ongoing to identify genuine farmers with verifiable claims, separate from speculators and unlawful occupants.
