News

6th Call of the Cashew Matching Grants Fund

The Cashew Matching Grant Fund

Adopting Good Agricultural Practices results in a better quality of raw cashew nuts while stable, reliable linkages between farmers, processors and buyers is extremely essential for the competitiveness of African cashews. These are the lessons the GIZ/Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) and the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH)  have learned from years of implementing cashew sector interventions. 
 
The ComCashew Matching Fund was launched in September 2012 to leverage contributions from Processors, Farmer Based Organisations (FBOs) and Buyers and/or Retailers, as well as Public Research Institutions, to enable them to implement specific interventions or actions that lead to desirable outcomes for the cashew sector. The ComCashew Matching Fund is a unique public private partnership model and the only fund for cashew worldwide. 
 
The Cashew Matching Fund is managed by the Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew). The current call is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) with participation by IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative. The ComCashew Matching Fund supports activities in either Improved Cashew Planting Material or Strengthening the Supply Chain of African Cashew. After the first call in September 2012, and subsequent calls in 2013 to date, there are presently 32 farmer linkage and research projects, with over 40 partners implementing projects amounting to  € 11.48 million out of which € 4.54 million is contributed by the Matching Fund Grant.. Through the Fund, about 150,000 cashew farmers are supported in seven countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya and Mozambique.  

 Plan for 6th Call 

Call for Concepts  from the 7th December, 2017 to 7th January 2018, followed by review and decision making of the Matching Fund Board by the 26th of January 2018. Successful applicants would receive the go ahead to develop full proposals between the 29th  January and the  28th February 2018. Contracting of successful projects will be done thereafter. Project implementation commences end of March 2018.
 
Expected results 

This call is being financed by two financiers with expected results as follows:

BMZ Funding for All Countries
                                                                                                                                                                                    
I. Improved planting material multiplied, distributed and planted by smallholder farmers

II. Enhanced knowledge transfer to cashew farmers

III. Strong linkages and ties between processors/buyers and farmers (Effective Business linkages with farmers)

IV. Improved market access (access to price and production information, etc.) Improved cashew value/supply chain

V. Diversification

VI. Climate smart Agriculture

 
SECO Project for Ghana
 
VII. Strengthened entrepreneurial skills of owners ad staff of processing factories

VIII. Strong linkages and ties between processors/buyers and farmers (Effective Business linkage with farmers).

Key activities and Lead Funder

ComCashew workstream that evolved in SNI:

During the last 5 years a traceability system was developed under the umbrella and with endorsement of the Competitive Cashew Initiative (ComCashew). The system is called 3S and stands for Sustainable Supply System.  It is currently being implemented by front running processors in Africa.
The 3S traceability system is a pre-competitive system that is governed by a separate foundation called the Sustainable Nut Initiative (SNI), in which all participants are represented. It is still closely linked to ComCashew.
3S is a Management Information System initiated by the Sustainable Nut Initiative (SNI). It is a secure, online software platform to manage and share product, process and supplier information, from raw material to finished product. 3S helps to monitor and manage value chains by linking data from all actors. Benchmarking and impact analysis in the entire supply chain provides essential management information. Depending on agreements between the partners in the chain, information is made available to each other. This type of information is key to steer productivity and to improve quality.

Read more.

Eligible countries

All activities related to Expected Results I – VI are eligible to applicants operating in all ComCashew countries namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mozambique and Sierra Leone. Activities related to Expected Results VII - VIII are eligible to applicants operating in Ghana only. Applicants from Ghana therefore could apply thorough both financiers.

Requirements:

•  Eligible entities that can partner to apply for the Cashew Matching Grants Fund are:

           i) processors for cashew nuts and apples

           ii) farmer based organizations

           iii) buyers/traders who purchase cashew kernels or apple produce from Africa

           iv) international kernel retailers

           v) private sector foundations

           vi) research organizations

           vii) National Extension organisations

• The partnering entities must have existing operations in Africa in cashew processing or in buying/retailing kernels from Africa at the time of their application
• Funding ratio:   

          - For GIZ offered grant

Maximum matching fund ratio of € 1 public funds (40%=maximum from our side) to € 1.5 private funding (60%) for projects. This holds for private applicants. With regard to public institutions, we target a ratio of 50% - 50%.

          - For SECO offered grant

          Maximum matching fund ration of 40% of total project budget

          - SECO offered grant

In the case of grant offered by SECO successful projects would be supported with a maximum training grant of                    CAD$17.89 per farmer, a maximum seedling purchase grant of CAD$0.65 per seedling, and a maximum of 50% of              the total cost of establishing seedling distribution centres (CDNs).

• Maximum grant to be requested from the matching fund €200.000
• Processors who apply should minimally meet AFS standards, and should report on progress moving beyond
• Private companies participating in the Matching Fund need to pay membership to ACA
• Project duration of maximum 30 months (1.04.2018 – 30.09.2020)
• An application for a specific project shall be made by at least two entities if they are both private sector (e.g. a processor partners with a buyer or retailer)
• Research or national extension agencies can apply alone, are however also enticed to work jointly with a private entity.

How to Apply

Please download  and complete Application Forms and submit electronically with all attachments to cashewfund@giz.de. In case of any questions please contact us through same email-address.

National Farmers’ Day Celebration

The 33^rd edition of the National Farmers day in Ghana is to be celebrated on Friday, December 1, 2017.

Farmers’ Day in Ghana is celebrated to recognize the vital role farmers and fishers play in the socio-economic development of the country’s economy and to motivate them to produce more. The celebration of this day was instituted by the government of Ghana in 1985, following the highly commendable output of farmers and fishermen in 1984, after the bad agricultural output in 1982 and 1983.

The occasion acknowledges farmers and fishers’ untiring efforts at feeding Ghana’s growing population, providing raw materials to the nation’s industries, and contributing significantly to the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.

According to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, This year’s National Farmers’ Day (NFD) celebration has been re-modelled to reflect and showcase better contribution of the farmers and fisher folks as well as the developments in the agricultural sector.

The 33rd NFD celebration will be celebrated on the theme, “Planting for Food and Jobs”. Planting for Food and Jobs is a flagship initiative of the government of Ghana which is expected to be rolled out in all 216 districts across the country, and will involve the supply of farm resources such as high yielding and improved seedlings to participating farmers.

The Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) has since its inception trained more than 40,400 cashew farmers in Ghana on Good Agricultural Practices, Harvest and Post-Harvest Handlings as well as the establishment of Cashew Plantations. The objective is to increase cashew yields, better quality and to get the maximum farm returns that attract higher prices and increase farmer incomes.

A total of 4,000 hectares of new plantation was cultivated with over 430,000 seedlings in 16 districts in Ghana. Additionally, the capacity of 125 grafters of which 90 are women have been developed with support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other private actors in the cashew sector. Furthermore, there has been technical support to 7 local processors which has created approximately 5,378 new jobs.

Currently, there is the trilateral cooperation between Ghana, Germany and Brazil on improved planting material development and cashew apple processing, estimated at €700,000. Also, a regional collaboration with Togo and Sierra Leone on improved planting material development and the establishment of cashew nurseries is ongoing.

The Competitive cashew initiative wishes to say “ayekoo” to all gallant farmers in Ghana as we celebrate this year’s farmers’ day.

8th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security

The Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) was declared in July 2010 by the African Union Heads of State and Government at the 15th Ordinary Session of the AU Summit in Kampala, Uganda and has so far been successfully commemorated in seven times following its launch in Lilongwe, Malawi, on 31st October 2010. This year’s Commemoration of the 8th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security with Continental Symposium on Food Systems will be on 18 November 2017 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Cashews are known to be among the most nutritious and healthiest however the less popular cashew apple is also loaded with vitamins and minerals. Although not a staple, cashew (both fruit and nut) can be intergrated into African menu to improve nutrition. (Nutritious & Delicious Cashew Dishes - 13 Everyday Recipes)

Some health benefits of cashew include:

• They contain less fat than most snack nuts, including groundnuts, almonds and pecans. The fats in cashew are heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
• Cashew nuts are high in copper which promotes several physiological processes such as iron utilization and the elimination of free radicals, development of bone and connective tissue, the production of the skin and hair pigment melanin as well as vitamin E which prevent skin aging and tissue damage.
• Cashew apples are an excellent source of Vitamin A, B and C, high in antioxidants and minerals.

Read more on Health benefits of cashew nuts and apples.

The Third Session of the 4th Edition of the Master Training Program for Cashew Value Chain Promotion Kicks Off in Abidjan

The third session of the fourth edition of the Master Training Program for cashew value chain promotion in Africa has opened in Abidjan the economic capital of the Ivory Coast. The third session being the final of the fourth edition, will see some 70 participants from 12 countries being certified as experts in cashew value chain promotion. 

The Master Training Program is an initiative of the Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) in partnership with the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) and is supported by other public and private partners. 

Read More

Opening of the Third Session of the Fourth Edition of the Master Trainer Training Program

68 African experts in training to meet the challenges of transformation

68 experts africains en formation pour relever les défis de la transformation

First Ministerial Meeting of CICC held in Abidjan

Nine African cashew producers, forming the founding countries for Consultative International Cashew Council - CICC, met for the first time on Friday (29 September) in Abidjan, Côte d'ivoire. The meeting was preceeded by a ministerial expert concertation on 28.09, where representatives of the concerned ministries examined the founding documents.

Born on November 17, 2016, The CICC brings together Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Togo and Senegal and represents the first international organisation for cashew producing countries in the world.

Read More:

First meeting of the organization of countries producing cashews

International Advisory Council on Cashew: Experts analyze projects before the first session of the Council of Ministers

African countries producing cashews organize themselves to conquer the market

Development of the cashew nut industry: Guinea signs the Convention on the International Cashew Advisory Council in Abidjan

Développement de la filière cajou

International Scientific Colloquium on Cashew (CIESA) 2017

The Cotton and Cashew Council  (CCA) in collaboration with the International Consultative Council of Cashew (CICC) and the Research and Development Network on Cashew in Africa (REDAA), with technical and financial support from CORAF, PSAC and ComCashew, is organizing the International Scientific Colloquium on Cashew (CIESA 2017) on 26-28 September 2017 at the AFRIKLAND Hotel in Grand Bassam on the theme: "Agro-ecological intensification of production and transformation of cashew in Africa: Issues - Acquis Scientifiques et Technologiques - Perspectives"

Read more

Communiqué relatif au colloque international d’échanges scientifiques sur l’anacarde (CIESA 2017)

Colloque scientifique international sur l’anacarde

Download the programme:

Topics for panel discussion

Terms of Reference(English)

Terms of Reference (French)

Programme flyer (front)

Programme flyer (back)

Time for Ghana to cash in on cashew

Available statistics indicate that cashew is easily the most prospective, if not already the leading non-traditional export revenue earner in the country.

There is therefore the need for the executive and all stakeholders to work together to promote the growth of Ghana’s fledgling local cashew industry.

Undoubtedly, the cashew value chain brings a wide range of opportunities from production, through processing to the export of raw nuts.

Read More:

Time for Ghana to cash in on cashew

Ghana cashew industry at the crossroads

In the country’s quest to diversify and improve its commodity export bill, cashew has come to be identified as the produce with the strongest potential of ploughing in as much foreign revenue as cocoa has done for many years. The aspiration among key players in the cashew sub-sector of making Ghana the hub of Cashew production in West Africa is an indication that cashew cultivation has eventually evolved into a strategic economic sub-sector now meriting far more attention and care than it has received in the past.

Read more

Ghana cashew industry at the crossroads

Governance and upgrading in South–South value chains: evidence from the cashew industries in India and Ivory Coast

India, the world’s largest processor of cashew kernels, depends heavily on imports of raw cashew nuts (RCNs), primarily sourced from Ivory Coast. While the Ivorian processing industry is still in its infancy, in the last decade domestic cashew factories have rapidly increased their capacity. This study is an exploration of how the cashew value chain is organized and what this implies for upgrading prospects in the Ivorian cashew sector. Its findings suggest that the cashew value chain is characterized by a bipolar governance structure comprising a trader-driven segment between Ivorian farms and Indian processors, and a buyer-driven segment that links processors to Northern end markets.

Read More

Governance and upgrading in South–South value chains: evidence from the cashew industries in India and Ivory Coast

Cashew data collectors recommend improvements to ACA’s market information service

An African Cashew Alliance (ACA) workshop in early August gathered information from market analysts and data collectors from nine ACA member countries to guide improvements and boost use of its Market Information System (MIS). The August 1-3 workshop in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso—organized by the African Cashew Alliance with Trade Hub support — informed a draft action plan to increase service uptake for this subscription-based service, which has been online since 2012.

Read more:

Cashew data collectors recommend improvements to ACA’s market information service

Master Training Program to promote African Cashew comes off at Sunyani

The program which has been put together by the Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) in collaboration with the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), with support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Cocoa Research Institute Ghana (CRIG), started from August 7 and scheduled to end on August 11, 2017.

The aim of this unique Master Training Program, is to increase theoretical knowledge and practical skills of African cashew experts along the value chain and thus to further promote the competitiveness of African cashew.

Read more:

Master Training Program to promote African Cashew comes off at Sunyani

Gov't Lauded For Including Cashew To Planting For Food & Jobs Program

ComCashew holds training program in cashew value chain promotion

ComCashew creates over 46,500 jobs in Ghana

A Master Training Program to promote the African Cashew Value Chain: The 4th edition (Session 2)

The Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) together with the African Cashew Alliance(ACA), with support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Cocoa Research Institute Ghana (CRIG), will hold the 2^nd session of the 4^th edition of the Master Training Program for Cashew Value Chain Promotion from Monday, 7^h to Friday, 11^th August 2017 at the Eusbett Hotel, Sunyani Brong Ahafo Region.

This second session in Sunyani will mainly focus on Improved Planting Material development, establishment of new plantations and design of adult training programme among others. Participants will be introduced to Monitoring and Evaluation and Gender and Cashew value chain promotion. At each session, there is a combination of topics on self-reflection and perception management and on behaviors and values that affect learning and teaching skills. The highlight of this session will be a field visit to the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) research station and farm visits in the cashew production areas around Sunyani.

 “The Cashew Master Training Programme is an important "next step" in the concerted collaborative efforts and work done by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Cocoa Research Institute, ComCashew and the African Cashew Alliance to improve the Cashew sector in Ghana.” – Hon. Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta regional minister.

In the words of Mr. Ernest Mintah Acting MD of the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), “…Investing in the cashew business is a necessity, but knowledge to run your business is vital. Master trainers have, since the inception of this programme, become the compass that will take cashew business to a globally competitive level…”

Seven months. Three sessions. Three locations.

Rolled out in seven months, the Master Training Program is divided in three successive sessions to be held in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. In so called “inter-sessions”, the participants return to their host institutions to conduct field work, either individually or in groups, to deepen knowledge on a selected topic. After completion of the program, the participants become acknowledged cashew experts. They either train farmers, provide assistance to processors, or advice institutions in their home countries. At the heart of the Master Training Program are facilitators and technical experts who teach, evaluate and potentially re-design each training session according to participants’ needs. The training contents are developed with great support and commitment from various ComCashew partners.  They use stimulating presentations, interactive role plays and lively discussions to deliver trainings. 

The Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew)

The Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) constitutes a new type of multi‐stakeholder partnership in development cooperation. Since its inception in 2009, around 440,000 new jobs have been created in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Mozambique – 75 per cent in production, 20 per cent in trade and 5 per cent in processing. In Ghana, the initiative has trained more than 40,000 farmers and has created over 46,500 jobs in production and processing. In the area of processing, the project has given technical support and assistance to 7 processors. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ (GmbH) has been commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with the management of the project. ComCashew benefits from the diverse commercial and technical expertise of their private and public-sector partners. Key cooperation partners in Ghana are the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG). 

For more information, please contact:

Cynthia Benon, Manager of the Master Training Program, al-da.benon@giz.de or

Sylvia Pobee, Communication Manager, sylvia.pobee@giz.de

For more information on ComCashew, please visit our website www.comcashew.org          

MMDCEs in Ghana Schooled on New Agric Project 'Planting For Investment'

District and Municipal Chief Executives as well as all directors of Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in the Brong -Ahafo Region have been sensitised on a new agriculture programme which government will soon launch to ensure food security and raw materials for industries. 

The programme, which will pay special attention to selected cash crops namely Cashew, Shea, Mango, Citrus, Cocoa, Rubber and Oil Palm, will be launched jointly by the Ministries of Food and Agriculture and the Local Government and Rural Development.

Read more

MMDCEs in Ghana Schooled on New Agric Project 'Planting For Investment'

The 11th edition of the annual ACA Cashew Conference launched in Abidjan

The 11th Annual Cashew Conference organized by the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), scheduled to take place from 18 to 21 September 2017 in Cotonou, has officially been launched in Abidjan. 

The Conference, to be organized in collaboration with the Benin Value Chain Association and the Government of Benin, aims to serve as a platform to encourage strategic partnerships, Investment, sharing experiences and doing business.

Read more:

The 11th edition of the annual Cajou Conference scheduled for September in Cotonou, launched in Abidjan

ACA is Hiring!

The African Cashew Alliance (ACA), following a grant awarded from the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Africa Trade Fund (AfTra) currently has openings for consultants to implement an extensive technical assistance program for cashew processors in 8 countries in East and West Africa.

The project seeks to improve product quality and marketing development in line with international best practices for poverty reduction; increase competitiveness, incomes and employment for cashew processors in East and West Africa; promote the participation of women in cashew processing; and improve environmental standards and sustainability in African cashew processing.

For more information and to apply for the various job openings, please click on the link: http://www.africancashewalliance.com/en/about-us/jobs 

For more information on the project, please visit the ACA website.

Cashew Initiative – a role model for development in Africa

On 7 and 8 July 2017, the world's eyes will be on Hamburg, when the heads of state and government of the 19 major industrialised and emerging nations and the EU meet for the G20 Summit. One of the central topics at this meeting will be Africa and how to secure sustainable economic development on the African continent. The Competitive Cashew Initiative offers a prime example of how to achieve this.

Read more: Cashew Initiative – a role model for development in Africa

ComCashew News Bulletin - Edition 8

This edition highlights the activities of ComCashew and its partners in sector organisation in its project countries as well as other African cashew-producing countries. Information on the cashew harvest season in our project countries and the state of the cashew market this year are also provided. Enjoy reading the bulletin! 

Cashew Harvest Season and Sector Organisation

Cashew Market Update - May 2017

Cashew earns $196m for Ghana in 2016

Cashew has over the years become the leading non-traditional export earner in Ghana’s agriculture sub-sector, contributing $196.7 million in 2016, according to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).

GEPA is, meanwhile, proposing a surcharge on raw cashew exports to encourage more local processing of the nuts. Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, Ms Gifty Klenam, said in an interview that the move was to ensure local processors get raw cashew for grinding and value-addition so as to increase the earnings Ghana gets on the world market instead of exporting the commodity in the raw form. 

Read more:

Cashew earns $196m for Ghana in 2016

ComCashew @ EDD 2017

The 2017 edition of the European Development Days – EDD17, opened in Brussels on June 7, 2017. The two-day event will June 8, 2017.Organised by the European Commission, the European Development Days (EDD) bring the development community together each year to share ideas and experiences in ways that inspire new partnerships and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges The European Development Days is Europe's leading forum on international cooperation and development. EDD 2017 will promote a new global strategy to address the most pressing current global development challenges and bring together development actors committed to tackling poverty worldwide, with a particular emphasis on engaging the private sector as a partner in economic development.

The private sector's role in international development policies will be discussed and spotlighted throughout the forum. Overarching objectives of the private sector engagement include the promotion of inclusive growth and the creation of decent jobs in particular for women and youth, which lead to improved living conditions. EDD aims to help shape global policy, share knowledge and promote real innovation. This year’s event which is the 11^th EDD is focusing on international community’s strategic response to the most pressing global challenges of the day, as part of the international effort to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event brings together development actors committed to tackling poverty worldwide, with an emphasis on engaging the private sector as a key and responsible partner in economic development. Three (3) key themes are being discussed and debated in this year’s forum - Investing in Development - in order to find solutions to vital global strategic issues:

• Investing in People and Planet (Gender Equality/Women Empowerment; Equality, Migration and Mobility, Sustainable energy and climate action)
• Investing in Prosperity
• Investing in Peace and Partnerships

The forum builds on the core belief that cooperation is crucial to achieve real change towards a poverty-free and sustainable world where everyone has the prospect for a decent life. An essential aim is thus to inspire the desire to work together in a spirit of true partnership through facilitating networking. It also aims to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth, creating decent jobs, particularly for women and young people through investment, in particular with the full engagement of the private sector both as an economic and responsible actor in development.

The Competitive Cashew initiative is represented by Mary Adzanyo and Maria Schmidt at EDD 2017. They are promoting cashew together with two other GIZ projects under the umbrella of GIZ namely the cocoa and moringa projects. The German Development Corporation would be present in over 20 panels. If you are at the EDD, visit GIZ’s booth at stand number 71 to interact with the moringa, cocoa and cashew teams to learn more about these value chains and how they contribute to income generation, business competitiveness, environmental protection, climate change mitigation, nutrition and health. The European Development Days showcase Europe’s commitment to building a sustainable and fairer world. Sixteen extraordinary Young Leaders have been selected for EDD 2017. Coming from across the globe, aged between 21 to 26, they were chosen for their expertise, innovation and commitment to international cooperation and sustainable development

Visit https://eudevdays.eu/about-EDD for more information on EDD 2017

GEPA Demands Cap On Cashew Export

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has asked the central government to place a cap on the volume of raw cashew that can be exported from Ghana.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GEPA, Gifty Klenam made the call on Friday, 2nd June, this year, in Accra, saying it has become imperative for government to impose limitation.

Ms Klenam, speaking to the media at her office, said if government cannot place a cap on raw cashew export, then it should surcharge it as an alternative.

That, she said, was because about 90 percent of Ghana’s cashew were being exported raw by foreigners, particularly Indians, Vietnamese, Lebanese, among others, without leaving any significant quantity for local companies, who want to do value addition.

Read more

GEPA Demands Cap On Cashew Export

Cashew earns $196m for Ghana in 2016

Ghana becomes 7th member of the Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC)

Ghana became the seventh Cashew producing African country to sign onto the Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC), an international organization with legal capacity and financial autonomy responsible for promoting the sustainable development of cashew in the world. 

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), represented by the deputy minister in-charge of perennial crops, Hon. William A. Quaitoo signed the convention to officially make Ghana a member of the international body. The signing ceremony held in Accra on Monday June 6, 2017, was witnessed by the Director General of the Cotton and Cashew Council (CCA)of Côte d'Ivoire Dr. Adama Coulibably and representatives from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ghana Cashew Industry Association (CIAG), the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) and the Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew).  

The CICC aims to create a consultation framework and collaborations between member states for a sustainable cashew sector. Ghana has complemented the process for the establishment of the CICC and as a result hosted the first consultation meeting in Accra in April 2016. So far, six cashew producing countries in Africa have signed the convention, they are; Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Togo. Ghana is the first Anglophone country to become a member state of the Consultative International Cashew Council.

Over the last decade, cashew has gradually emerged as an important part of Africa’s economy. Cashew production in Africa has grown impressively in the past years from 1.2 million tons in 2014 to 1.8 million tons in 2016. Also, the value addition segment has increased from 35,000 MT in 2006 to about 145,000 MT in 2016. The African cashew industry could benefit immensely by capturing the value of its raw nut production through increasing processing on the continent.

In West Africa, Ghana has a comparative advantage due to continuous investment in cashew research by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana. This has resulted in high productivity and quality of the cashew crop.  Ghana has 14 installed raw cashew nut processing units, with a total capacity of 68,000 MT. However, only about 15,000 MT is currently being processed in 2 of the 14 processing units. Ghana’s new government has made their dedication to the promotion of agriculture evident from the start with a pledge to spread industrialization across the country, on the “one district, one factory” policy. The government is also putting in place a cashew board to govern and regulate the cashew sector as well as to develop favorable policies to leverage existing efforts and promote investments in the sector.

The Consultative International Cashew Council is an international organization, steered by the Ministries responsible for cashew in its Member States. The Council of Ministers, of which Ghana is now a member, meets annually as the decision-making body for the development of the cashew sector.  Thus Ghana can contribute to the harmonization of policies in the region and profit from the exchange in the technical bodies for private sector promotion, cashew research along the value chain and production.

Read more 

Ghana joins Consultative International Cashew Council

Today is World Environment Day

Every year on June 5 people around the world observe world environment day. The day is all about raising awareness about nature and the importance of protecting it.

Since its inception in 1972, people worldwide have organized events, from neighbourhood clean-ups, to action against wildlife crime, to replanting forests to observe the day.  This year’s host country Canada chose the theme “connecting people to nature” and will be at the centre of celebrations around the planet.

As part of activities to celebrate the day, staff of GIZ/ComCashew in Accra is embarking on a tree planting exercise, as their own small way of protecting the environment for future generations.

Cashew and the Environment.

The cashew value chain is recognized as an environmentally sustainable one. The cashew tree is known to be very robust and able to withstand harsh, climatic conditions with low rainfalls and thus lower soil fertility. That said, research has established that Cashew as a tree crop will be suitable for the purposes of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. The production systems of the crop are generally extensive and do not require a lot of inputs like Fertilizer and irrigation. Similarly, the crop is known to grow very well in marginal soils. Cashew production also promotes afforestation and soil conservation. Moreover, cashew producers are able to intercrop with other food crops, a practice  which enhances productivity and income diversity and maintains soil fertility.

Cashew trees are also good for beekeeping and therefore promote biodiversity. Research shows that where bees are integrated into cashew farms there is an increase in yield levels as a result of pollination.

Read more

A Tale of Cashews and Honey: Merging Cashew Orchards and Beekeeping in Benin for increased revenue

The Study of the Effects of Integrating Beekeeping into Cashew Farms in Ghana and Benin

Plant a cashew tree today; you will be doing the environment a world of good!

GEPA and partners sign MOU on National Cashew Development Plan

This step comes as part of the facilitation process for a 10-year National Cashew Development Plan (2017-2027) which has been drawn by key stakeholders to regulate the Ghanaian cashew sector.

To read more: GEPA and partners sign MOU on National Cashew Development Plan

Ghana: New Deal Sets 200,000Mt Cashew Production Target

The 36th Edition of the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress held in India

The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) celebrated the 36th Edition of the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress for the first time in India from May 19 to 21 at the ITC Grand Chola in Chennai. The INC Congress witnessed the largest international gathering of food professionals, suppliers, traders and buyers from the nut and dried fruit business with nearly 1,000 attendees from across 60 countries.

The three-day conference was a global platform to exchange knowledge and ideas in market development, supply chain, consumption, product innovation, food safety, nutrition and research through a variety of monographic round tables, seminars, working group meetings, stand-alone sessions and keynote speakers.

A rountable on cashew was chaired by Hari  Nair. ComCashew was represented at the event by our director for private sector development, Madam Mary Adzanyo. 

Read more:

The 36th Edition of the World Nut and Dried Fruit Congress 

ComCashew Partners CCA and PSAC in KOR kit distribution

As part of the implementation of the cashew nut quality platform activities in Cote d’Ivoire, the Cotton and Cashew Council (CCA), organized a training workshop for Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs). The training which took place in Grand Bassam was to provide the FBOs with the necessary knowledge and equipment to perform cashew quality test and analysis. 

A total of 60 KOR Kits acquired with the support of ComCashew and PSAC were awarded to the best 60 cashew FBOs in order to enable them to analyze the quality of their products at farm gate level.

The Director General of the Cotton abd Cashew Council in Cote d’Ivoire who spearheaded the kits distribution ceremony used the occassion to thank ComCashew and the other technical and financial partners, in particular the PSAC, for their continuous support that is aimed at preserving and promoting the quality of cashew nuts from Cote d’Ivoire.

Ghana makes strides in cashew production

This was announced by the executive director of the competitive cashew initiative ( comcashew ) Rita Weidinger at the 4th edition of the master  training program held in Ho.

The five day training program which is aimed at promoting the African cashew value chain is  a joint initiative of the Comshew and the African cashew alliance with support from the Cocoa Research Institute, Ghana (CRIG) and  the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Rita Weidinger says, Ghana continues to lead the way in high yields of 800kg/hectares as against the international benchmark of 1500kg/hectares. She added that processing remains a challenge in Ghana and the sub-region.

Read more: Ghana makes strides in cashew production

A Master Training Program to promote the African Cashew Value Chain: TheFourth Edition (Session 1)

The Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) together with the African Cashew Alliance(ACA), with support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Cocoa Research Institute Ghana (CRIG), will hold the 1^st session of the 4^th edition of the Master Training Program for Cashew Value Chain Promotion from Monday, 8^th to Friday, 12^th May 2017 at the Chances Hotel, Ho, Volta Region. 

The program provides a platform for 75 cashew experts coming from Benin, Burkina Faso,  Cameroun, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia to share knowledge, discuss best practices and lessons learnt as well as to build national and regional networks for future collaboration.

Returning to their host institutions, the participants will have a multiplier effect on the cashew industry when sharing their knowledge and experiences gained by attending this tailor-made training.

During knowledge sharing sessions of theories and their application, participants learn about all aspects of the cashew value chain from production and processing of raw cashew nuts, to economics, cashew market dynamics, marketing and financing mechanisms. Facilitators and technical experts teach, evaluate and re-design each training session according to participants’ needs.

The first session in Ho, will cover the cashew value chain concept, the dynamics of the cashew market and training material development. The highlight will be a field visit to the largest cashew processing factory in the subregion - USIBRAS, in Prampram. All sessions cover cross-cutting issues such as gender, policy development, sector regulations and nutrition value of cashew products.

Seth Osei-Akoto, Director Crop Services MOFA, states: “We, in Ghana, are amongst the first to develop and distribute improved planting materials on a carefully planned and sustainable manner. In collaboration with CRIG, we have so far supplied at least 400,000 improved cashew grafts to farmers in the Northern, Volta and Brong-Ahafo regions and we have planted 4,000 hectares of new cashew plantations.” In the sub-region, Ghana serves as a role model in cashew research and the development of improved planting materials.

Seven months. Three sessions. Three locations.

Rolled out in seven months, the Master Training Program is divided in three successive sessions to be held in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. In so called “inter-sessions”, the participants return to their host institutions to conduct field work, either individually or in groups, to deepen knowledge on a selected topic. After completion of the program, the participants become acknowledged cashew experts. They either train farmers, provide assistance to processors, or advice institutions in their home countries. At the heart of the Master Training Program are facilitators and technical experts who teach, evaluate and potentially re-design each training session according to participants’ needs. The training contents are developed with great support and commitment from various ComCashew partners.  They use stimulating presentations, interactive role plays and lively discussions to deliver trainings.

The Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew)

The Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) constitutes a new type of multi‐stakeholder partnership in development cooperation. The initiative is mainly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) for its third phase which started from May 1, 2016. Private companies and government and donor agencies also support the Initiative. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been commissioned with the management of the project with Fairmatch Support as an implementing partner who provides consultation on technical issues and facilitate linkages between farmers and processors. ComCashew benefits from the diverse commercial and technical expertise of their private and public sector partners. Important cooperation partners in Ghana are the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG).  

For more information, please contact:

Cynthia Benon, Manager of the Master Training Program, al-da.benon@giz.de or

Sylvia Pobee, Communication Manager, sylvia.pobee@giz.de

International Workers’ Day – Women at work

Every year, workers all over the world commemorate this day whose origins lie in the industrial sector of the early 20^th century, by addressing major challenges of the modern industry such as fair wages, good working conditions and job security.

Twentieth century industrial society required a larger workforce as majority of men had been enrolled to fight in the world war. This saw more women joining the workforce. This essentialist role of women in crisis times contributed to the rise in the women labour. Twentieth century European history seems to have paved the way for women’s employment in the industrial sector and subsequently for further professional possibilities regardless of the sector.

In Africa, female employment rate is steadily rising but not without challenges. Considering that the global demand of for cashews is increasing globally, the sector is expected to offer more jobs throughout the developing cashew value-chain. So far, ComCashew and partner interventions have already created more than 21,000 jobs in cashew processing industry, 80 % of them for women. On the production side, ComCashew and partners have trained more than 400,000 farmers, about 22% women, on Good Agricultural Practices.  The development of the cashew sector and women’s employment go hand in hand. Together, they have a great potential to contribute to the economic growth of cashew-producing countries and thereby, contributing to poverty reduction. The cashew sector can currently boast of prominent women professionals who have paved the way for others in the generally male-dominated sector.

Read more about Women in Cashew 

As we celebrate the International Workers’ Day, consider investing in the cashew sector. Contribute to a reduction in Africa’s unemployment and poverty rate and help your country’s society progress and pave new ways. Today, we celebrate cooperation of workforce, for women and men, and its gift of independence for everyone.

International Colloquium for Scientific Exchange on Cashew (CIESA) 2017

The Cotton and Cashew Council of  and REDAA is organizing an International Colloquium for Scientific Exchange

on Cashew (CIESA) from 26 to 28 September  2017 in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire).

Theme

Agro-ecological intensification of cashew production and processing in Africa: Issues - Scientific and technological achievements - Perspectives

Abstracts for oral and poster presentations are invited on the below conference topics and should be submitted using the online abstract submission system (www.redaa.org).

 Sub-themes:

• 1: Genetic Resources Management and Crop Breeding
• 2: Agronomy
• 3: Crop protection (Pest and diseases management)
• 4: Biotechnology
• 5: Processing, Value Addition and Equipment
• 6: Innovations and technology transfer

 We welcome your participation and look forward to receiving your abstract.

 Registration and submission of abstracts should be made on the REDAA website: www.redaa.org

 Deadline for abstract submission: 30 June 2017, 5h :00 PM

 Please download the files below for detailed information on abstract preparation.

• International Colloquium for Scientific Exchange on Cashew (CIESA Call for papers

• Terms of Refrence

CCA to allow and facilitate in land exportation of Ivorian RCN

Following the ACA’s first Cashew Stakeholder Meeting held in Accra on

29th March 2016 to formulate a vision for the African Cashew Industry,

a Board meeting of the Competitive Cashew Initiative (ComCashew)

was held on the 30th. The African Cashew Alliance (ACA) is a constituting

board member of ComCashew and as such, sat in this meeting.

Read more

CCA to allow and facilitate in land exportation of Ivorian RCN

Vietnam Cashew association expands reach to Africa

The partners include the Association of Cashew Exporters in Ivory Coast, the National Cashew Association

of Nigeria and the National Council of Benin Cashew Exporters.

Another eight agreements were also reached by cashew exporters and importers at the event.

According to President of the Vietnam Cashew Association Nguyen Duc Thanh, Vietnam has processed

about one million tonnes of raw cashew nuts annually for the past two years.

Read More

Vietnam Cashew association expands reach to Africa

ACA Holds Stakeholder Forum in Accra

Mr. Dahiya made this known at a Cashew Stakeholder Forum in Acrra on Wednesday March 29, 2017.

The Forum hosted by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Ghana brought together various actors and

players along the cashew value chain. 

Read More

Cashew Holds Ghana's Future

ACA becomes Lead Facilitator of the Private Sector Wing of the Cashew International Consultative Council (CICC)

On 21st March 2017, ACA President, Mr. Florentino Nanque, met with Dr.Adama Coulibaly,

the Managing Director of the Conseil du Coton et de l’Anacarde of Côte d’Ivoire, for a working

session to discuss partnership with the newly established Cashew International Consultative Council (CICC).

This was also an opportunity to reinforce ACA’s partnership with the Conseil du Coton et de l’Anacarde of

Côte d’Ivoire (CCA) which manages the new international cashew body (CICC).

Read more 

ACA becomes Lead Facilitator of the Private Sector Wing of the Cashew International Consultative Council (CICC)

Over the floor at the cashewboer

Half of all the world's cashews are produced in Africa. The cashew sector provides more job opportunities for women and for many families, it is an extra source of income.

several Projects work along the cashew value chain and are committed to more jobs and higher annual salary.

Read more here

Over The Floor at The Cashewboer

ACA Annual Cashew Conference 2017 - Registration now Open!!

The African Cashew Alliance is excited to announce the 11^th ACA Annual Cashew Conference, which will be held in Cotonou, Benin from the 18^th to 21^st of September 2017! With the theme “A New Vision for Partnerships and Investments”,this year’s conference will serve as an important platform for creating a new vision for the African Cashew Industry, sharing knowledge and best practices, networking and doing business. Be on the lookout for a detailed program, which will feature seasoned speakers to address the pressing issues of today’s industry!                                                                         

Benin emerges as the perfect location for this year’s cashew conference. A new government with keen interest in the industry, high quality raw cashew nuts in recent years, a new and vibrant value chain association, as well as strong government support for good policies. In less than a decade, production has almost doubled, which brings it to an estimated production of 120,000 MT in 2016 

The country is now the second largest exporter of raw cashew nuts in the world.

Register before June 30th, 2017 to take advantage of the early bird rates!  ACA members will also receive a special discount on conference fees. Make sure to take advantage of this great offer! 

Sponsoring and exhibiting at Annual Cashew Conference is an excellent opportunity to promote your company to a wide variety of cashew stakeholders from all over the world. Visit our website, www.africancashewalliance.com for more details!

For any questions, please contact the ACA Secretariat at aca@africancashewalliance.com or call +233 302 78 22 33.

Enabling the Business of Agriculture

ComCashew contributed to the preparation of a report on “Enabling the Business of Agriculture” prepared by the World Bank. Our contribution was on requirements for the trade of raw cashew nuts from Benin and Burkina Faso. See below the link to the final report which covers 62 countries. The report highlights trade regulations in 62 countries across the world.

Read More:

Enabling the Business of Agriculture

International Women’s Day 2017: Celebrating Female Groundbreakers in the cashew sector

The cashew sector has seen the emergence of determined women over the past couple of years. These women have played influential roles in major positive developments within the sector from production, through processing to sector organisation. 

The Competitive Cashew initiative recognizes the role of women in the development of the African cashew sector. Among other things, ComCashew focuses on trainings and skills development of female farmers, processors and other female cashew experts. So far, about 80, 000 female cashew farmers have been trained on topics including Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and harvest and post-harvest techniques. ComCashew through the Master Training Program works to develop the capacity of women to encourage a more active participation in leadership roles in the sector.

In celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day, we share some of the inspiring stories behind the success of dynamic women in the Cashew sector.

Read more about Women groundbreakers in Cashew

Women Leaders in the Cashew Sector

Cashew farming in Ivory Coast

The demand for cashew nuts is growing - but African farmers miss out on most of the benefits. That's because most of the value of the nuts comes from processing - and that happens somewhere else.

find out more here

Cashew farming in Ivory Coast

A boon for Burkina Faso’s cashew market

With support from the African Development Bank (AFDB), Burkina Faso has been awarded a US $4-million loan from the Climate Investment Funds’ Forest Investment Program (CIF FIP), to revive its cashew sector and mitigate climate change, working through an innovative public-private sector business model between the national union of farmers’ cooperatives and the government.

Read more

A boon for Burkina Faso’s cashew market

International Green Week 2017

Between 2010 and 2015 alone, GIZ has helped put an end to hunger and malnutrition for some eleven million people. At its stand, GIZ informed visitors of the support it has provided to cashew farmers in Africa on behalf of the German Government, and how this has improved for example cashew cropping and marketing and greatly increased farmers’ income. To date, to the surprise of many visitors, ComCashew measures have benefited more than 400,000 smallholders, enabling them to raise their net cashew-based income by around USD 160 – with some farmers now earning twice what they did before.

The GIZ booth was met with great interest and led to many interesting discussions around cashew. The visitors were taken aback by the effort and time put into the whole process of cashew sector development.  Visitors asked questions such as “how does it grow? what does it take to transform RCN to a consumable cashew nut?” among others. Following the invitation to visitors of the booth to answer three quiz questions, and being confronted with the rewarding choice of chocolate, moringa smoothie or cashew nuts most chose cashew. This high interest led to a distribution of almost 4,000 small (50g) cashew packages which were thankfully contributed by ComCashew partners, Intersnack and TDG.

ComCashew also used alternative publicity opportunities such as inviting the excellent professional cook, Moritz Katz, for a cooking show that was highly appreciated by visitors to the stand. In addition to that, a large stage was made available to families and school classes for an interactive learning experience on cashew, crowned with a cashew prize.

To read more on this year’s Green Week 2017 please click below: 

Green Week 2017. Fair living conditions, fair consumers, fair trade

Cashew in the German News

The trip which lasted from 5th to 9th September, 2016 was an opportunity for the journalists to interact with beneficiaries of GIZ.  Following their visit, the journalists have published articles on their visit in various German press.

These articles showcases the worldwide growing demand for cashew as a positive prospect for economic growth, employment and income creation for cashew actors in Ghana and portrays how different actors along the value chain profit from the cashew sector in Ghana. Among other things it features the stories of:

• Madam Mary Sarpong,  a female cashew farmer in Wenchi
• A female grafter at the agricultural research station in Wenchi
• MIM cashew processing with a focus on product quality, local job and income creation
• The role of ComCashew and partners as well as their investments in the development of the cashew sector in Ghana.

Read more:

Cashewnüsse bringen den Aufschwung in Ghana

Cashew-Nuss wird Exportschlager

Der Kern des Aufschwungs in Ghana

Von nutzlosen Kernen zum Exporthit

Afrikas neuer Exportschlager

Cashew-Nüsse Cashew-Nuss wird Exportschlager

Höhenflug für eine harte Nuss