From Cannabis to Cocoa: NDLEA Empowers Former Illicit Farmers in Ondo

​AKURE, Nigeria – In a historic shift from enforcement to economic empowerment, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has commenced the distribution of high-grade fertilizers and knapsack sprayers to former cannabis cultivators in Ondo State.

​The exercise, which kicked off on Friday, March 13, 2026, targeted rural farmers in the Ifon, Ilu-Abo, and Eleyowo communities. These areas, historically identified as hubs for illicit drug cultivation, are now the focus of the agency’s Alternative Development Project (ADP)—a pilot initiative designed to dismantle the economic roots of the drug trade by offering sustainable agricultural livelihoods.

​Representing the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), agency officials oversaw the delivery of several trailer-loads of inputs. Beyond the hardware, agricultural experts were deployed to the fields to provide hands-on training, teaching the beneficiaries modern techniques for fertilizer application and pest control to maximize food and cash crop yields.

ADVERTISEMENT

​”This is about dignity and lawfulness,” a representative of the agency stated during the distribution. “We are moving away from the cycle of raids and towards a partnership that ensures these communities can prosper without the shadow of criminality.”

​The program aligns with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on food security and rural stability. By providing the tools for legitimate farming, the NDLEA aims to replace cannabis with high-value crops like cocoa and medicinal plants like Artemisia annua, ensuring that farmers receive better financial returns than they did from illicit ventures.

​Local traditional rulers and community leaders expressed gratitude for the intervention, noting that the provision of sprayers and fertilizers marks the first time many of these farmers have received direct federal support to transition into legal agricultural value chains.