In a bid to move the Institute forward even in the face of the financial quagmire bedeviling progress in research, the interactions of the ED, Dr. Patrick Adebola, with the Nigerian Exports Promotions Council (NEPC) finally yielded fifty million naira grant. The NEPC offered the grant in order to support the production of cash crop particularly cocoa and cashew. According to Dr. O.S. Ibiremo the programme leader, Cashew, enabling proposals were developed to this effect. As regards cashew, the Institute embarked on capacity building of the stakeholders – farmers, produce merchants etc at Ogbomosho (Oyo State) and Kabba (Kogi state). The other component of the grant is the establishment of polyclonal seed garden; to this effect, the Institute successfully procured 2 hectares of land at Ilero (Oyo State) and Kabba College of Agriculture (Kogi State). About 1600 grafted seedlings of cashew were used. The land selection, soil evaluation, clearing, layout and planting of the seedlings was been effected at the sites. The succeeding phase is gapping up and field maintenance.