The Cross River State Government has announced a statewide training programme for coffee farmers and stakeholders as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the state’s coffee value chain and position Cross River as a leading coffee-producing hub in Nigeria.
The training, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development, is aimed at equipping participants with practical skills and modern agronomic knowledge required for successful coffee cultivation and sustainable production.
According to the ministry, the programme is open to coffee farmers who registered in the 2025 batch, those who have made payments for the 2026 batch, prospective coffee farmers, agricultural and extension officers at both state and local government levels, as well as other stakeholders within the coffee value chain.
The government said the initiative forms part of Governor Bassey Otu’s broader agricultural transformation agenda, which seeks to diversify the state’s economy, create employment opportunities, boost export earnings, and improve the livelihoods of farmers.
The training will be held across the three senatorial districts of the state to ensure wider participation.
For the Northern Senatorial District, the exercise will take place at the Bekwarra Council Hall on Monday, June 23, 2026. Participants from the Central Senatorial District will gather at the Ikom Council Hall on Wednesday, June 24, while stakeholders from the Southern Senatorial District will converge on the Calabar Municipal Council Hall on Friday, June 26, 2026.
All sessions are scheduled to commence at 10:00 a.m. prompt.
The Ministry emphasized that coffee remains one of the world’s most valuable export commodities, offering significant opportunities for wealth creation, job generation, foreign exchange earnings, and sustainable economic growth.
With increasing global demand for coffee, the state government believes that investing in farmer education and modern production techniques will help unlock the enormous economic potential of the sector.
Stakeholders have been encouraged to take advantage of the training and align with the state’s vision of building a vibrant and competitive coffee industry.
The initiative further underscores Governor Otu’s commitment to revitalizing agriculture and expanding opportunities for farmers through what has been described as the state’s emerging Coffee Revolution.
