ILO Fosters Partnerships in Ondo State, Nigeria, to Eradicate Child Labour in Cocoa-Growing Communities
In a concerted effort to eliminate child labour in cocoa-growing communities, the Action against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa (ACLAWA) project of the ILO, in collaboration with the members of the Ondo State Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour, conducted visits to critical government agencies and 15 communities with a prevalence of child labour in the cocoa sector.
31 October 2023
Akure, Nigeria (ILO News): Prior to the state and community-level consultations. The ACLAWA team concluded a week-long staff retreat and strategic planning workshop in preparation for project implementation. The team seeks to adopt a system-strengthening and co-creation approach to better understand the state's social protection landscape, its agriculture sector, and the social norms influencing child labour. This approach will enable the project to develop tailored, innovative strategies for maximum impact. The U.S. Department of Labour has generously funded the ACLAWA project, demonstrating its commitment to achieving a child labour-free cocoa supply chain across the ECOWAS Region.
The first office visited was the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Akure, Ondo State, to strengthen current ties and together forge ahead to reducing the prevalence of child labour in the cocoa sector. The State Controller, Ms Adenike Mogboruko, reaffirmed the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to eliminating child labour in the Agricultural sector in Nigeria. She also expressed hope for continued collaboration between the FML&E and ILO to build on the successes of previous projects.
Pastor Kayode Ogundele, Head of the Service (HoS), during a meeting at the Ondo State Government House, noted that, “A community's potential cannot be fully realized if its future generation is subjected to child labour." He also emphasized the government's commitment to ending child labour. He stressed the significance of developing human capital and coordinating initiatives to end child labour and deal with the state's out-of-school youth problem.
The team also visited 15 community leaders, examined cocoa farms, and visited schools in the target communities to set the foundation for the successful implementation of the ACLAWA project. The purpose of these visits is to encourage local leaders and communities to take an active part in the effort to eradicate child labour in the cocoa sector and to ensure that the right communities are prioritized for interventions.
During this endeavor, the ACLAWA project team also engaged in discussions with the Traceability and Resilience in Agriculture and Cocoa Ecosystems of Nigeria (TRACE) project team from the Lutheran World Relief organization, a US funded project. The conversations revolved around identifying opportunities for collaboration to enhance the cocoa value chain and ultimately make it free from child labour. Both teams’ readiness underscores their commitment to collaborate, exchange knowledge, and implement best practices to achieve tangible results.
As Ondo State takes significant steps towards eradicating child labour from its cocoa sector, these collaborative efforts bring hope for a brighter and more prosperous future for its children.
The first office visited was the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Akure, Ondo State, to strengthen current ties and together forge ahead to reducing the prevalence of child labour in the cocoa sector. The State Controller, Ms Adenike Mogboruko, reaffirmed the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to eliminating child labour in the Agricultural sector in Nigeria. She also expressed hope for continued collaboration between the FML&E and ILO to build on the successes of previous projects.
Pastor Kayode Ogundele, Head of the Service (HoS), during a meeting at the Ondo State Government House, noted that, “A community's potential cannot be fully realized if its future generation is subjected to child labour." He also emphasized the government's commitment to ending child labour. He stressed the significance of developing human capital and coordinating initiatives to end child labour and deal with the state's out-of-school youth problem.
The team also visited 15 community leaders, examined cocoa farms, and visited schools in the target communities to set the foundation for the successful implementation of the ACLAWA project. The purpose of these visits is to encourage local leaders and communities to take an active part in the effort to eradicate child labour in the cocoa sector and to ensure that the right communities are prioritized for interventions.
During this endeavor, the ACLAWA project team also engaged in discussions with the Traceability and Resilience in Agriculture and Cocoa Ecosystems of Nigeria (TRACE) project team from the Lutheran World Relief organization, a US funded project. The conversations revolved around identifying opportunities for collaboration to enhance the cocoa value chain and ultimately make it free from child labour. Both teams’ readiness underscores their commitment to collaborate, exchange knowledge, and implement best practices to achieve tangible results.
As Ondo State takes significant steps towards eradicating child labour from its cocoa sector, these collaborative efforts bring hope for a brighter and more prosperous future for its children.