By Atoyebi Nike
Women cocoa farmers in Ondo State have appealed to federal and state governments to include them in the African Cocoa Agenda 2063, an African Union initiative aimed at transforming the cocoa sector into a sustainable and inclusive driver of economic growth.
The call was made during a stakeholder meeting in Ile-Oluji, organized by the Development Research and Projects Centre (DRPC) and the Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture (AWITA).
Mrs. Akinbusola Morohunmubo of AWITA said women are heavily involved in cocoa production but are excluded from training, finance, and policy-making platforms.
DRPC’s research head, Mr. Kareem Abdulrazak, noted that Agenda 2063 offers a long-term opportunity to empower women and reshape cocoa policy across Africa. AWITA’s president, Mrs. Ruth Agbo, stressed that economic inclusion of women is critical to national development.
The team also met with the Ondo State Ministry of Agriculture to build support for inclusive policy reforms.
