The ongoing move to ensure a sustainable and traceable palm oil production in Nigeria has paid off with the incontrovertible approach by the State Commissioner for Agriculture.
This was shown as Solidaridad West Africa has inaugurated the Akwa Ibom State Palm Oil Traceability Inter-ministerial Committee.
The committee, which was inaugurated at the end of a critical stakeholders meeting in Uyo, the state capital, on Tuesday, under the National Initiatives for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders, will ensure transparency, sustainability, and global competitiveness in the state’s oil palm industry.
Setting the tone for the meeting, Ernest Ita, Senior Programme Officer at Solidaridad West Africa, stressed the need for a traceability system that tracks palm oil along the value chain -from production to consumption.
He warned that the absence of such a system leads to adulteration, quality decline, and loss of trust in the international market.
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Ita said: “Because a large quantity of production is not traceable, we have issues of adulteration, with people adding artificial colouring, leading to poor-quality products.
“This lack of traceability also results in revenue loss since a significant volume of oil palm movements remains undocumented.”
He further stressed that palm oil production is often linked to deforestation, a critical concern for the European Union’s deforestation implementation policy, which prohibits palm oil sourced from deforested areas from entering its markets.
He added: “Smallholder farmers, who produce about 80 percent of Nigeria’s palm oil, are yet to fully adopt ethical and sustainable production methods.
“If they do not transition to sustainable practices, our products will be shut out of the international market, and farmers will miss out on premium pricing.”
To address these challenges, Ita advocated for climate-smart agriculture, urging farmers to convert already degraded lands rather than clearing forests for new plantations.
Also addressing the stakeholders, Kenechukwu Onukwube, Programme Manager for Oil Palm at Solidaridad Nigeria, outlined how climate-smart agriculture principles are being integrated into the sector.
Onukwube identified three key pillars: productivity increase, climate change adaptation, and climate change integration.
He cautioned that farmers must not only boost their yields and income but also implement strategies that mitigate climate risks while making use of degraded lands rather than clearing virgin forests.
He stressed the importance of introducing a traceability system to enhance transparency and consumer trust by mapping out farms, mills, and supply chains to ensure compliance with sustainable practices.
Onukwube also highlighted the need for proper waste management in the sector, particularly in palm oil milling.
He added: “There is a need for traceability in palm oil milling, especially in the management of palm waste.
“Instead of indiscriminate disposal, we are training millers on how to convert palm slugs into organic fertilizers, transforming waste into wealth.”
Speaking at the event, Dr. Offiong Offor, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, pledged the state government’s commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture.
Offor hinted the team of Governor Umo Eno’s vision for the sector in line with President Bola Tinubu’s national agricultural agenda.
She said: “The Akwa Ibom State Government is ready to partner with this initiative to reposition our oil palm sector.
“Our focus is on enhancing productivity, sustainability, and global competitiveness.”
The high-point of the event was the official inauguration of the Akwa Ibom State Palm Oil Traceability Inter-ministerial Committee, which will drive policy coordination and development of a robust traceability framework for the state.
Participants at the event were drawn from government, academic, small holder farmers, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, agricultural sector, trade unions, and other relevant sectors.
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