Towards an innovation system in the traditional sector: the case of the Nigerian cocoa industry

In recent years the revitalization of the Nigerian cocoa industry through a cocoa rebirth initiative has been a major focus of the Nigerian government. By applying the analytical framework of the Agricultural System of Innovation this paper traces the process of value-addition in the cocoa agro-industrial system, examines the impact of the Nigerian cocoa rebirth initiative and makes suggestions that are critical for strengthening the innovation system in a traditional sector. The study demonstrated that though an innovation system in the cocoa industry is far from being realized, the policy intervention of the cocoa rebirth initiative can be potent as an instrument of innovation. The findings suggest that the policy emphasis should aim to organize the cocoa rebirth initiative as an innovation-focused programme that enables interactive learning among the actors in cocoa research, production and industrial processing.