Pilot plot, fruit value chain: how a living laboratory is transforming agricultural practices in Nigeria

Reelfruit, one of Nigeria’s leading dried fruit processors, has reached a major milestone with the establishment of a one-acre demonstration plot at its Abeokuta site. Supported by COLEAD under the Fit for Market Plus (FFM+) program, this plot serves as a living laboratory for best agricultural practices for mango, coconut, pineapple, and banana—four key crops for the company’s processing activities.

Affiong Williams, founder of Reelfruit, explains that this initiative addresses the critical challenge of accessing quality raw materials:

“Fruit farming in Nigeria is often not profitable for smallholder farmers, discouraging them from expanding their farms or introducing new varieties. We decided to create this plot to understand their challenges and provide concrete solutions.”

In 2024, Reelfruit’s teams participated in a five-week virtual training led by COLEAD expert Dr. Mark Tutu Sarpong, covering crop botany, orchard establishment, nursery management, disease control, intercropping, and cost-benefit analysis. Fully developed by Reelfruit, the plot includes 40 mango trees, 36 hybrid coconut palms, 50 Cavendish banana plants, and 5,000 Smooth Cayenne pineapple seedlings.

Today, this plot serves as a scalable model to secure raw material supply and train Reelfruit’s partner farmers, 45% of whom are women. Practical training covers variety selection, fertilization, pruning, disease management, and farm record-keeping.

Through this initiative, Reelfruit contributes to building local capacities, creating rural jobs, and strengthening sustainable fruit value chains in Nigeria. The demonstration plot has thus become a key tool for “cultivating sustainable futures” and developing robust value chains.

You can find a video here

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.