Rubber tree
By PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
Against the backdrop of persistent denials by Central Bank of Nigeria and other financial institutions to grant credit facilities to natural rubber farmers in the country, the National Rubber Producers, Processors and marketers Association of Nigeria, NARPPMAN, has devised another way to raise funds to invest in the sub-sector.
National president of NARPPMAN, Prince Peter Igbinosun disclosed this in Calabar when he held plenary meeting with critical stakeholders, including rubber farmers, representatives of lending banks and government officials.
Igbinosun stated that the rubber farmers will now go into what he described as ‘carbon marketing’ from their vast rubber plantations in parts of the country.
He explained that carbon marketing simply means the selling of carbon that emits from the rubber trees.
He explained further that rubber trees take in the most carbon amongst all the trees, and United Nations and other agencies which promote environmental and ecological sustainability are ready to give grants to plantations.
He encouraged owners of rubber plantations in Cross River and other states to seize the opportunity and get registered.
According to him, his team has met with officials of the federal ministry of environment who have hailed the initiative and called for regular updates from his association regarding progress in the direction.
Igbinosun said, “The good thing about this carbon marketing is that the federal government is very much in support.
“Carbon emitting from our plantations will generate credits for our farmers. The credits will come in millions of dollars.
“With this carbon credits, it will enable us reinvest and regenerate our aging trees.
“I need all rubber farmers to register and input correct data because assessments of the plantations will definitely be carried out physically.”
He encouraged them to ensure that they possess documents showing ownership of such lands and farms.
According to Igbinosun, due to long gestational period of seven years, many banks have continued to deny them credit facilities thereby crippling the sub-sector despite its huge potentials.
