ACA Conference 2026: A Learning Platform for Africa’s Cashew Sector

The 2026 African Cashew Alliance (ACA) Annual Cashew Conference and Expo was more than a gathering of stakeholders from across the cashew value chain. It was a space for learning, exchange and collaboration, bringing together experiences from different countries and perspectives to explore how Africa can build a more productive, competitive and sustainable cashew industry.

Held from 15 to 18 September 2026 at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana, the Conference brought together 520 participants from 29 countries under the theme “Sustainable Cashew Supply through Policy, Investment and Partnership.” For MOVE ComCashew, the event provided an opportunity not only to share experiences from programme interventions but also to learn from businesses, policymakers, researchers, investors and other actors across the African cashew sector.

Learning across borders: the value of South South cooperation

One of the strongest lessons from the Conference was the value of learning from countries that face similar challenges but are experimenting with different solutions.

Across discussions on policy, digitalisation, climate resilience, financing, processing and market development, experiences from Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Benin, Tanzania, Mozambique, Senegal, Nigeria and other cashew producing countries demonstrated that there is significant scope for countries to learn from one another.

The discussions highlighted that many of the challenges facing the African cashew sector are shared. At the same time, approaches to addressing these challenges differ depending on national policies, market conditions, infrastructure and the maturity of the sector. This makes regional knowledge exchange particularly valuable.

The Conference demonstrated how South South cooperation can help stakeholders identify approaches that have already been tested elsewhere, understand what made them successful and consider how they can be adapted to their own contexts.

For MOVE ComCashew, this reinforces the importance of cross-country learning alongside private sector support and policy dialogue. Rather than developing solutions in isolation, experiences from across the region can help accelerate learning, reduce duplication and support the adaptation and scaling of approaches that have demonstrated potential.

From experience to evidence: learning through Best Practices

The validation of Best Practices from MOVE Matching Grant Fund projects was another important learning moment at the Conference.

The session provided an opportunity to examine experiences emerging from supported businesses and consider how lessons from individual projects can be documented, tested and potentially applied in other contexts.

A central message was that a Best Practice is not simply an activity that worked once. It needs to provide lessons that are relevant, adaptable and capable of being applied in other settings.

This approach is particularly important in a sector as diverse as cashew, where businesses operate under different market, financial, technological and regulatory conditions.

The Matching Grant Fund experience showed how financial support can become more effective when combined with technical assistance, business development support, partnerships and market opportunities. The Conference created a space to take these experiences beyond individual projects and contribute them to wider sector learning.

The focus therefore shifts from simply asking “What worked?” to asking “Why did it work, what can others learn from it and how can it be adapted or scaled?”

CasheWomen: moving from participation to enterprise growth

Gender inclusion also featured prominently in the Conference through the CasheWomen session, which focused on moving beyond participation towards scaling women led cashew enterprises through branding, market access and AfCFTA opportunities.

The discussion highlighted an important distinction: increasing women's participation in the cashew value chain is only part of the equation. The next step is creating the conditions for women owned and women led businesses to become commercially viable, competitive and capable of reaching larger markets.

Participants highlighted the importance of stronger branding, targeted marketing, storytelling, diversification, consortium building and access to finance.

The discussions also explored the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). However, taking advantage of these opportunities requires businesses to meet market expectations around quality, food safety, packaging and other requirements.

The CasheWomen session therefore reinforced the need to connect gender inclusion with market development and business growth.

Learning through dialogue: the role of panel discussions

The Conference also demonstrated the value of bringing different perspectives into the same conversation. Panel discussions on policy, investment, public private partnerships, processing technologies, climate change, market access and women led enterprises allowed participants to hear directly from policymakers, private sector actors, technical experts and development partners.

These conversations offered something that individual presentations cannot always provide: the opportunity to compare perspectives, challenge assumptions and explore practical experiences from different parts of the value chain.

For example, discussions around public private partnerships highlighted that partnerships need to generate lasting business value. The experience of Matching Grant Fund supported businesses showed how targeted financial and technical support can help enterprises improve performance, create jobs and strengthen relationships with cooperatives, small groups and public institutions.

Similarly, discussions on climate change reinforced the need for more practical and farm specific approaches to resilience, taking into account factors such as soil, rainfall, temperature, water availability, tree health and pest and disease risks.

The value of the panel format was therefore not simply in the information shared but in the interaction between different experiences and perspectives.

Beyond the nut: New Product Development and value addition

Perhaps one of the most visible demonstrations of learning and innovation at the Conference was the exhibition of products developed through the MOVE ComCashew New Product Development activity.

Ten project supported partners showcased a diverse range of cashew based products, demonstrating how innovation can expand the commercial potential of the sector beyond traditional cashew kernels.

Products on display included cashew based biscuits, spreads, oils, vinaigrettes, energy drinks, roasted cashews, cashew apple juice, cashew milk, protein bars, granola, brittles, hand sanitiser, soap and other products.

The exhibition also highlighted the potential of using parts of the cashew fruit that have traditionally received less commercial attention.

A practical demonstration on cashew apple valorisation showed how locally fabricated machinery can be used to transform cashew apples into juice. Other products demonstrated opportunities for using cashew apples, shells and other by products to create additional value, reduce waste and open new business opportunities.

The New Product Development experience offered a clear lesson: increasing cashew production must go hand in hand with investment in processing, product development, market creation and consumption.

A conference that connected learning to action

Across the sessions, exhibitions and networking activities, a common message emerged: the future of Africa's cashew sector will depend on stronger connections between productivity, markets, finance, technology, policy, climate resilience and innovation.

For MOVE ComCashew, participation in the 2026 ACA Conference provided an opportunity to contribute experiences from the programme while learning from the wider African cashew community.

From South South knowledge exchange and Best Practices to women led enterprises, public private partnerships and New Product Development, the Conference demonstrated that learning becomes most valuable when it moves beyond discussion and informs action.

The real opportunity now is to take the lessons from Accra, adapt them to different contexts and continue sharing what works across the continent.

In this sense, the ACA Conference was not simply an event. It was a learning platform for an industry that is increasingly looking beyond production towards innovation, value addition, stronger businesses, regional markets and shared growth.

Click link below to download conference materials

2026 ACA Annual Cashew Conference Presentations | African Cashew Alliance