Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria

BRIEF ON COCOA RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF NIGERIA

History and Mandate
Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), was established in Ibadan, Oyo State, on 1st December, 1964 as a successor autonomous research organization to the Nigerian substation of the defunct West African Cocoa Research Institute (WACRI) (Through the Nigeria Statute, Act No. 6 of 1950) This was sequel to the establishment in 1944 of the headquarters of the said WACRI at Tafo, Ghana with responsibility to conduct research to facilitate improved production of disease-free, or disease-resistant cocoa. By virtue of the Nigerian Research Institutes Act No. 33 of 1964, the scope of CRIN was expanded beyond that of WACRI to include research on kola and coffee in addition to cocoa. In 1975, by the Agricultural Research Institutes (Establishments, etc). Order No. 107 under the Agricultural Research Decree No. 35 of 1973, the scope of CRIN research activities was further enlarged to include cashew and tea. Consequently, CRIN today has mandate to conduct research on five crops, namely, cocoa, kola, coffee, cashew and tea throughout the country. According to the enabling Decree aforementioned, the expressed objectives of CRIN mandate on these five crops are:
(i) Improvement of the genetic potential, agronomic and husbandry practices,
including processing and storage of the crops,
(ii) Identification of the ecology and methods of control of pests and diseases
affecting the crops,
(iii) Investigating the effective utilization of the crops and their by-products, and the
feasibility of small-scale production of such end-use products,
(iv) Integration of the cultivation of the mandate crops into farming system where
each crop is grown by farmers,
(v) Translation of research results and improved technologies into practice among
farmers and manufacturers in order to improve production and socio-economic
life of the people.

Organisation
CRIN is organised into nine Divisions comprising of technical/research and services
Divisions, namely:
(i) Research (R),
(ii) End-Uses Research (EUR),
(iii) Farming Systems, Research and Extension
(iv) Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Training (PBM&T),
(v) Administration and Supplies,
(vi) Finance and Accounts,
(vii) Internal Audit,
(viii) Library, Information and Documentation and
(ix) Engineering and Works.

These Divisions are responsible to the Executive Director who in turn is also responsible to the Institute's Governing Board and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Through the ARCN.The Institute maintains a bi-lateral relationship with international organizations that deal with cocoa and some of its other mandate crops.Also, it has linkages with other National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs), States and National agencies through which its technologies are disseminated.

Substations
In order to cover the whole country effectively, the Institute has established and sustains substations in six locations in which the mandate crops of the Institute can be economically cultivated. These are: Owena (Ondo State) which caters for cocoa, robusta coffee and kola, in the south-west zone rain forest belt, Uhonmora (Edo State) which caters for cocoa in marginal forest areas. Ochaja (Kogi State) for cashew and kola; Ibeku (Abia State) in the south-east zone and also in rain forest belt to cater for cocoa and cashew;Ajassor(Cross River State) for cocoa and kola in the south-east zone rain forest belt; and Kusuku-Mambilla (Taraba State) for arabica coffee and tea.

There are six experimental stations located all over the country in Okondi (Cross River State) for robusta coffee, Mayo-Selbe (Taraba State) for cocoa and robusta coffee, Ibule (Ondo State), for cocoa, Kabba (Kogi State) for robusta coffee, Ugbenu (Anambra State) for cashew, and Onisere (Ondo State) for cocoa.

Outreach and Extension Services
The aforementioned substations and experimental sites serve to facilitate the Institute's outreach and extension services to farmers and industrialists operating on its mandate
crops all over the country, namely:
a) Serving as effective information channels whereby research findings get to farmers and industrialists, and the production constraints of farmers and industrialists are fed back to researchers.
b) Improving the socio-economic status of farmers/farm families through improved and diversified income.
c) Increasing productivity of farmers through effective utilisation of on-farm trial methods thereby enhancing adoption of technology.
d) Bringing about an awareness to farmers on varied methods of utilising farm byproducts.
e) Assisting farmers and industrialists to become self-reliant in making certain production decisions.

Manpower and other Existing Resources
The Institute as at (July 02, 2009) has a total staff strength of 742, made up of 61 research scientists; 18 laboratory technologists; 69 agricultural superintendents; 25 professionals in Administration and supplies, finance and accounts, Engineering and Library; 79 other service personnel and 490 semi-skilled and unskilled personnel. The institute also maintains other physical infrastructures and social services at headquarters in Ibadan and all her substations and experimental sites.
Potential Influence of CRIN on the National Economy
As all the mandate crops of CRIN are cash crops, research efforts on these crops can and will cause increase in productivity and ultimate gross production of these crops, leading to a direct increase in the foreign exchange earning of Nigeria. Furthermore, all the crops are industrial crops (large, medium and small scale industries) which can be exploited to meaningfully contribute to the desired industrial growth of Nigeria, create employment for both rural and urban populace and in no small way increase the standard of living of the people involved in the industry.