News

GIZ Ghana welcomes the hybrid conference of the Sector Network for Rural Development (SNRD Africa) on climate change

Accra, 22 November 2021. In the aftermath of COP26, members of the Sector Network for Rural Development (SNRD Africa) are meeting in Accra to discuss climate change and related issues during the biennial conference to reflect on mitigation strategies for rural development In Africa.

The Sector Network Rural Development (SNRD) of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) is a network of rural development practitioners in Africa, which serves as a central hub for knowledge management and training. It currently comprises around 115 member projects and deals with all aspects of rural development, agriculture, sustainable natural resource management and climate change in Africa.

More than 200 African agriculture and rural development specialists from different African countries and Germany are meeting physically – yet also virtually with experts and decision-makers from the private and public sectors. The hybrid format enables participants to join from various locations to the conference.

Themed “Adapt and Change - SNRD Africa’s sustainable transformation for Rural Development and against climate change”, the conference aims at successfully showcasing how agriculture can be leveraged to mitigate climate change effects and how smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities can also adapt and face the negative effects of climate change.

The exchanges will not only explore the challenges of climate change and its impact on agriculture, but also share best practices in term of resilience and agricultural productivity. In addition, the conference will serve as a platform to address various topics impacted by climate change. Ghana’s Government representatives, distinguished guests from the European Union, officials from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), BMZ, representatives of the international organizations such as NEPAD, African Development Bank, the European Union, members of the Sector Network for Rural Development in Africa as well as other public and private sector institutions will join the official opening ceremony scheduled on November 23rd, 2021 at Labadi beach and online.

Additionally, as a networking opportunity, the conference will highlight best practices, innovative approaches, initiatives, and success stories from over 110 projects under SNRD Africa and its working groups.

About SNRD Africa and GIZ

The Sector Network Rural Development (SNRD) of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) was founded in Lesotho in 1995. SNRD is a network of rural development practitioners in Africa and as such a central hub for knowledge management and training. It is the biggest internal Sector Network (SN) of GIZ that currently comprises around 115 member projects. The professional network deals with all aspects of rural development, agriculture, sustainable natural resource management and climate change in Africa. As experts, SNRD Africa members aspire to be internationally aware of the opportunities and challenges of rural development and always be one step ahead, exchange on good practices, use cases and embrace vivid knowledge management. Currently, around 115 projects and programmes from 30 African countries and Germany, as well as around 800 staff and representatives of the consulting industry are organised in the Sector Network.SNRD Africa is working to enhance awareness and promote climate-friendly interventions throughout its various activities. As climate change is a cross-cutting issue, SNRD Africa is bringing together all its working groups and external experts to federate their synergies, ideas and efforts towards a sustainable future. Therefore, in line with the GIZ strategy which enshrined climate neutrality as a central goal, sector networks include SNRD act according to sustainability principles.

There are six thematic Working Groups (WG) that are at the heart of the SN:
1. Working Group Agribusiness and Inclusive Value Chain Development
2. Working Group Climate Change – Natural resource Management - Livelihoods
3. Working Group Digitalisation and ICT
4. Working Group Food & Nutrition Security / Resilience
5. Working Group Gender-transformative approaches in rural development
6. Working Group Policy Processes for Agriculture and Rural Development

Youth Changemaker Fair — Call for Applications

Join the adapt and change generation

• Are you a young changemaker or champion of a sustainable development solution?
• Do you have a product or initiative that is in line with environmental protection practices?
• Are you interested in showcasing your product to a large audience of decision-makers and professionals?

If your answer is Yes to all of the above, GIZ’s Sector Network for Rural Development in Africa, SNRD Africa, is looking forward to sponsoring your participation in the two-days Youth Changemaker Fair.

The fair forms part of our bi-annual international conference which will take place in Accra in November and will deal with the topic of climate change. It’ll showcase and promote products and services designed by young people without discrimination on 23 and 24 November.

Participating young changemakers get a great opportunity to network and exchange with decision-makers from private and public spheres since the conference will be attended by high-level government officials, diplomatic representatives as well as professionals from the German Development Cooperation.

Deliberations will revolve around rural development issues — ranging from agriculture, agricultural value chains, climate change, gender and rural development, food systems to digitalization.

This year’s SNRD conference will be held in a hybrid format, meaning in a combination of in-person and online participation. As such, part of the exhibition will be in-person for Ghanaian local participants and submissions from outside Ghana will be fed into a virtual fair. 

What are the requirements for your participation?

Interested contributors from all around the world are invited to submit a presentation of their innovations in a digital format such as video or PowerPoint, or other formats to showcase their products or services. Participants of the youth changemaker fair must meet these requirements:

• Any young person not older than 35 can apply no matter their geographical position
• Applicants must have initiated or conceptualized an innovative solution (product, service, ideas), in mainly the field of climate change, green solutions, sustainability, rural development
• Must be willing to participate in person and showcase their products (if located in Ghana) and accept the publication of their application (if located outside Ghana)
• Show good communication skills to explain how their products or services work
• Be available 23-24 November
• Be willing to abide by the measures put in place for the protection of the environment.
• Be willing to share their solution also digitally via a conference app and the website

About SNRD Africa and its bi-annual conferences

Since 1995, SNRD Africa enhances GIZ experts’ work knowledge, it supports the development of collaborations and sharing their experiences. Constantly looking for innovative practices and generating knowledge, SNRD Africa initiates events, training and exchange as well as other empowerment opportunities.

In this regard, the bi-annual conference is organized as a unique moment that brings together members of the Sector Network. It is strongly sustainability-driven in all its aspects including logistics.

The conference is not only an event to discuss and share ideas. It’s a fantastic learning opportunity as SNRD Africa members come together with internal and external experts, as well as high-level officials, to discuss hot topics around rural development. As a networking opportunity, the conference deliberately highlights best practices, innovative approaches, initiatives and successes for scaling up and replication among the over 110 SNRD Africa member projects, the working groups and the African political leaders.

Benefits

1. For local participants in Ghana: SNRD Africa will provide a contract that will cover the costs of their participation.

2. To virtual participants globally: They will meet technical experts on rural development and agriculture from all over Africa and Germany, with a possibility to expand their network and present themselves in an international environment.

How to Apply

Interested applicants are invited to submit the following documentation (in English or French) to snrd@giz.de by 15 October latest:

• A short presentation of his/her/their innovation in a digital format such as video, photos, PPT etc.
  (In the presentation briefly introduce yourself (name and position), show either how your product or service solves a climate change or development-related problem, or show how it is in line with the principles of sustainability and could be replicated at a larger scale. All presentations should be short. (You should be able to present it orally in three minutes.)
• The CV of the innovator or lead innovator in the case of a company or joint initiative as well as the person who will present if different.
• A cover letter explaining how the innovation might solve a climate, sustainability or development-related problem.
• The subject line of the email should read: Application to the Youth Changemaker Fair

Contact

For more information about the Youth Changemaker Fair, please contact Elvaria Asamoah at 0 59 69 10 83 9 or send us an email at snrd@giz.de

GIZ/ComCashew Embarks on a Tree Planting Exercise in East Legon

  

On Thursday, April 1 2021, the ComCashew team embarked on a tree planting exercise in the neighborhood of the office in East Legon. The exercise was part of an internal Easter egg hunt organized by the team to celebrate Easter.

A total of 80 seedlings were planted during the exercise. These included plants and flowers such as passion fruit, soursop fruit, pear and pawpaw fruit, jasmine plant, mimosa plant, terminalia, tree of Life, royal palm, hibiscus, aloe vera among others.  

 

Homeowners and various offices in the vicinity gladly availed themselves and their buildings for the exercise.  Most of the team took part in the exercise, with both men and women taking up the digging of the soil, the planting and watering of the plants as the morning wore on.  Beneficiaries of the exercise were grateful and commended ComCashew for their efforts and encouraged the team to continue the good work. 

 

The exercise was followed by an Easter Egg Hunt at the office premises which was filled with fun and joy for the whole team. Coloured eggs were hidden in obscure areas for the team to search and find.  Individuals with the most eggs at the end of the hunt were deemed winners. Lunch was served after the egg hunt and the team gathered to dine as a family.

SECO AND BMZ support Capacity Building in Ghanaian Cashew Sector

Thirty (30) staff from the Ministry of Food & Agriculture (MoFA), Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) and GIZ/ComCashew have participated in Technical Training Programme on Cashew from 22^nd to 26^th March 2021 in Sunyani. This one-week training was organised by the Competitive Cashew initiative (GIZ/ComCashew), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), with funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The Technical training sought to provide cashew value chain actors with theoretical knowledge and equip them with practical skills on cashew. Aimed at further promoting the competitiveness of African cashew, the training covered the cashew value chain concept, cashew market dynamics, marketing and financing mechanisms, and the development of training materials. The highlight of the week’s activities was a visit to the Kabile Cashew Farmers’ Cooperative at Kabile in the Bono region, where participants had first-hand experience of cashew kernel processing.

  Anne Schick, Deputy Head of Cooperation (SECO)

In her speech at the opening ceremony of the training, Anne Schick, Deputy Head of Cooperation at SECO, said, “Through the economic cooperation activities of SECO, Switzerland aims at improving livelihoods in Ghana. In the cashew sector, we believe that this is possible through a mix of the right formulation and implementation of new favourable framework conditions and policies, capacity building and the promotion of local processing. Through GIZ/ComCashew, we have facilitated capacity building activities for industry actors. These include the Cashew Master Training Programme, trainings on access to finance as well as cashew apple processing. We have also supported the development of curricula and learning materials on cashew in the ATVET space, as well as supported training providers from agricultural and technical institutes all over Ghana to implement these curricula.”

In terms of creating an enabling environment for sector actors, SECO, through GIZ/ComCashew has supported sector actors in processes leading up to the passage of the Tree Crop Development Act and the inauguration of the Authority. A cashew dialogue platform has also been formed to bring actors along the entire chain together to discuss pertinent issues and share knowledge relating to the sector.

The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is the federal government’s centre of excellence for all core issues relating to economic and labour market policy. Its main aim is to contribute to sustained economic growth, high employment and fair working conditions, by creating the necessary regulatory, economic and foreign policy framework in their countries of intervention.

GIZ/ ComCashew is a private-public partnership project under the implementation of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. Currently in its third phase, ComCashew focuses on building a sustainable cashew value chain and increasing the competitiveness of African cashew production and processing. Working in six (6) countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, GIZ/ComCashew’s objectives also include advocacy for favourable sector policies. The regional programme’s activities are mainly funded by BMZ and SECO.

Over the years, SECO has shown interest in capacity building activities in the cashew sector in Ghana and in the improvement of people’s livelihood. In this vein, SECO has funded the development of curricula and learning materials on cashew under the Agricultural Technical Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) aimed at further building capacities of people who are interested in working in the value chain. Other capacity building programmes funded by SECO and BMZ include the Cashew Master Training Programme which has produced over 700 cashew experts from 19 countries, Access to Finance Forum for processors, and Food Safety and Quality Standards. This has resulted in the creation of a pool of experts on the crop.

After this Technical training, participants are expected to return to their respective institutions and have a multiplier effect on the cashew industry by sharing their knowledge and experiences gained from the training.

African Cashew Alliance 2021 projections: Africa to strengthen its grip on cashew production

Accra, Ghana – The African Cashew Alliance (ACA) is projecting an increase in cashew production in Africa in 2021 despite the effects of the pandemic on the global cashew industry.

Africa is projected to exceed the over 2.1 million total raw cashew nuts (RCNs) it produced in 2020 and will remain the greatest producer of the commodity in 2021.

The positive trend of production growth over the past years in West Africa is expected to continue with production estimated to be between 1.6million and 1.8 million tons of RCN by the end of the 2021 cashew season.

Cote d’ Ivoire is expected to remain the leading cashew producing country in the world, with an estimated production of 900,000 tons, close to 100,000 more than it produced last year.

Productions in Nigeria and Ghana are expected to be around the same levels as last year without significant increase or reduction. In Nigeria, production is expected to be between 210,000 and 250,000 tons of RCN. The ACA however emphasizes that this will be influenced by the level of cashew prices since the quantity of RCN collected in the country is often determined by where prices are.

Ghana’s production is projected to be between 110,000 and 130, 000 tons of raw cashew, around the same levels as in 2020 and in 2019. The ACA, however, expects significant growth in cashew production in Ghana and for the country to have a fair share of the cashew market in the coming years due to concerted efforts by the government and stakeholders in recent years towards reorganizing and regulating the cashew sector including the establishment of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) and the Cashew Council Ghana (CCG).

In East Africa, the ACA projects a lower production than expected growth in 2021, especially in the two leading cashew producing countries in the subregion, Tanzania, and Mozambique, due to changes in weather, the cyclone, and the impact of security emergency in the subregion. Production in Tanzania could fall to as low as 225,000 tons by the end of the year.

Total global production is expected to be between 3.5millon and 3.8million tons and expected to meet the increasing global demand for cashew, especially in Europe and America. Africa will produce 54% of global production with 21% coming from India. Vietnam and Cambodia are projected to produce 17%, Brazil producing 4% and the remaining 4% to be produced by other small cashew producing areas.

Demand and consumption

The ACA expects the positive trend of increasing demand and consumption of cashew kernel since 2011 to continue and remain strong in 2021, especially in Europe and America. The United States, the largest import market for cashew in the world, ended 2020 with an incredible cashew import growth of 8%, the highest in ten years, and is expected to remain positive in 2021 regardless of the pandemic.

The European cashew market also had an incredible growth of 17% in demand, import, and consumption of cashew in 2020, following from a 15% growth in 2019. Cashew Consumption increased from a little more than 140,000 tons in 2019 to over 160,000 tons at the end of 2020. Despite remaining second to the US market, the European market has grown from 75% in 2015 to 98% of the size of the US market in 2020. The ACA expects the demand and consumption of cashew in Europe to remain strong in 2021.

In India, though demand and consumption in 2019 stayed around 300,000 tons, with a slight decrease in 2020 due to market destructions including the pandemic, demand was not badly affected as was feared at the beginning of the pandemic. The ACA expects the Indian market to recover in 2021.

There has also been a strong positive development in demand and consumption of cashew in China and this is expected to continue in 2021.

In general, the ACA expects global demand and consumption of cashew to continue to be strong in 2021.

Processing and Supply

Vietnam ended 2020 as the world’s greatest supplier of cashew kernel, increasing processing by about 11%. The ACA projects processing and export to continue strongly in Vietnam.

In Africa, the ACA anticipates more investment into the cashew processing sector as an attempt to shorten the cashew supply chain by processing closer to the origin. It expects factories to adopt improved and mechanized systems to enable them to process at improved capacities. The ACA, therefore, expects more processing in Africa, especially in Cote d’ Ivoire, Nigeria, and Benin.

Other Projections

The ACA also expects proper regulatory developments in the cashew industry in Africa, especially in Ghana and Benin. The establishment of the TCDA in Ghana for instance will bring about proper regulation 3 and organization of the industry. More countries are also expected to show more commitment towards developing the cashew industry by putting in place the necessary regulatory structures.

The ACA further expects the proper regulation of the industry in African countries to result in more realistic farmgate prices in 2021.

In general, the ACA projects West Africa to remain the main driver of the global cashew industry in terms of production, Cote d’ Ivoire to remain the leading cashew producing country in the world, and a lowerthan-expected production in East Africa.

Possible Disruptions

Despite the relatively less impact that Covid 19 has so far had on the cashew industry. Some countries are beginning to have surge in the number of cases and travel and movement restrictions are being reintroduced. The extent to which this continues may disrupt the cashew market. The ACA also takes into consideration the long-term economic impacts the pandemic may have on countries, especially developing countries in Africa.

Matching Fund Story

Increased Productivity = Higher Revenues = Better livelihoods:

Improved Planting Material makes a difference

The cashew sector in Ghana has garnered high interest in recent years. This interest has translated to high demand for improved planting material as cashew production has gained ground.

The Directorate of Crop Services, under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana in collaboration with Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew/GIZ) implemented a Matching Fund project aimed at ‘increasing cashew productivity through improved planting material multiplication and distribution to farmers in cashew growing areas.

 Achievements so far include:

• Creation of four central nurseries to produce and distribute at least 300,000 cashew grafts.
• Distribution of 343,080 cashew grafts produced in Wenchi, Babile, Nkwanta and Bole nurseries
• Capacity building of 10,000 cashew farmers to adopt good agricultural practices (GAPs) to increase their incomes
• Facilitating the establishment of Ghana Cashew Nursery Association
• Establishing 2 nurseries with 100,000 capacity at Nkwanta South district and Babile Agricultural Station to supply cashew grafts to farmers in the eastern parts of Oti and Northern regions under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) program of the government
• Expansion of Wenchi central nurseries which has resulted in the production of 1 million cashew seedlings for distribution to farmers in Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, Savanna regions for the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) program
• Establishing at least, 5,000ha of new cashew farms
• Establishing new 2-hectare scion bank at Asuansi to provide scions for the production of cashew grafts for farmers in the southern zone of the country where interest for cashew production is fast growing.
• Training 49 youth (30 women and 19 men) in cashew soft wood grafting techniques who now provide grafting services to other nurseries for additional income.

 Scion Bank at Asuansi            Source: MoFA

 Wenchi central nursery          Source: MoFA

 John Damaah, cashew farmer from Gbogbaa        Source: MoFA

John Damaah, a farmer from Gbogbaa:

“I was trained by MoFA on the importance of using improved materials for the establishment of my cashew plantation. Earlier on, I always insist that every cashew seed is good for plantation establishment. MoFA, therefore, developed part of my farm to practically demonstrate the importance of improved plantation materials. They asked that I cultivate the same size with my seeds and compare. After two years, MoFA’s demonstration plots had a good tree canopy and yielded better than my trees. From MoFA’s plots, I picked about five (5) times the quantity of nuts I picked from my plot. I then got convinced that improved planting materials perform better than the normal seed I used to plant. Since then, I have decided to continue my whole farm with materials from MoFA. Now the side of the farm with improved materials give me more nuts than the other”

The Cashew Matching Fund

The Cashew Matching Fund was launched in September 2012 to leverage contributions from processors, FBOs and buyers and/or retailers, as well as public research institutions, for the implementation of specific interventions towards the development of the cashew sector in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Mozambique and recently in Sierra Leone. The fund, a unique public private partnership model is the first of its kind and so far, the only such fund in the cashew sector.

(status: October 2020)

Contacts:

Sophia Kamarudeen

(Director of Inclusive Business)

Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew)

Sophia.kamarudeen@giz.de

Jerry J. Anim

(Senior Agricultural Officer)

Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA)

animjjerry@gmail.com   

 

Advantages of Digitalisation from a Gender Perspective

 Source: Wikihow

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about some changes in several areas of the cashew sector. The nostalgia of face-to-face meetings imposed by border closures and physical distancing measures was quickly broken by an acceleration of digitalisation. This made it possible to convert to virtual meetings.

This situation therefore reduces hugs and embraces, if not making them impossible and inappropriate. Such hugs and embraces are mostly observed between men and women, and to a lesser extent between women and men. The number of hugs varies according to region and personal convenience. They may replace or reinforce usual greetings (hello and goodbye), to mark an honorary award, or the end of an interview/discussion panel. The act itself does not have a negative connotation. Originally synonymous with joy, reunion or childlike affection of an intimate and private nature, it has spread widely in professional circles in recent decades. This has led to the trivialization of the gesture and its scope, which can give rise to abuse and deviances.

You can see a woman without hugging her, and for some it's an oaf. Basically, this is in no way related to civilization, let alone gallantry. The embrace/kisses can be uncomfortable when they are automatic only for one of the parties, unnecessarily repeated, performed with too much indecent familiarity or a minimum of restraint. The phenomenon of consequence may apply in some cases. Indeed, someone may be in the habit of kissing a colleague and this is approved by both parties concerned. However, when this colleague finds herself in the company of other colleagues with whom she is less familiar, the tendency would be, after kissing her, to feel obliged to repeat the same gesture with all the others "out of courtesy" or "so as not to offend". The desire may no longer be with the initiator or those who receive the kiss. So why kiss each other in such a case? Generally for public convenience, good manners against incivility or the effect of surprise, very few refuse or show their disapproval. The real reasons for the discomfort of kissing are diverse but at times subjective or circumstantial: "I don't feel close enough to have this attitude" / "I'm not ready" / "I'm not in favour of this practice and my freedom is at stake" / "I want to spare myself bad smells" / "I want to avoid contagions" etc. In this respect, the Corona virus disease among many others has however undeniably demonstrated the health exposure with a high risk of infection with viruses and bacteria that this practice implies. Beyond the health risks, it seems that the physical distance due to the pandemic may have reduced the cases of unwanted interaction - or even physical harassment - of women in professional spaces.              

 Source: Wikihow                                                                

It was found that men do not systematically do this among themselves, at least not spontaneously as they did it towards women. According to a popular interpretation, this is a sign of the gentleness, delicacy and attention one has towards women in general. Is the symbol of gentleness necessarily synonymous with hugging, especially in the workplace? Is this compatible with professional decorum? And how do we ensure that we do not put people, especially women, in uncomfortable situations in professional environments by enduring unwanted contact? These are all questions that give food for thought.

The problem is almost non-existent for virtual encounters. However, for face-to-face meetings, social codes can be reconsidered. In an optimistic vision of an imminent end to COVID19 and the resumption of physical interactions, we can retain some of the habits acquired during the pandemic: a full embrace may be undesirable and unnecessary. It is equally possible to express our enthusiasm for reunion in a different way. We can greet each other in a dignified way without the association of a kiss or hug. The simplest example is to confine ourselves to a warm smile accompanied by "hello".

Alima Viviane M’Boutiki & Nana Yaa Agyepong, ComCashew/GIZ 

Relevance of Hostesses at Cashew Events

One of the objectives of gender mainstreaming involves "giving women voices". This can mean both strengthening leadership for holding positions of responsibility in a group and including women in international meetings. In the latter case, they can intervene as participants, moderators or panellists. In any case, it is important for them to be able to position themselves so they can give their points of view on the specific difficulties they encounter in the cashew industry. For face-to-face meetings, being confined to the role of hostesses with an outfit that sometimes limits them is not the best approach. The presence of women in meetings must go beyond decoration figures. An increasing number of women at international cashew meetings will bring some level of joy to everyone, while quality representation is also not compromised.

 Source: Emeraldgreenushers.com

Is this trick with women really useful? One should question the necessity and relevance of hostesses in cashew meetings. This is a mixed question and the position adopted is partly a function of the socio-geographical context, which is not, however, immutable. Unless there is evidence to the contrary, these faces that are meant to be pretty and exhibiting their features have no direct impact on the importance and success of the meetings. In the cashew sector, this practice is mainly underway in Africa. Based on a practical observation, reception, directional guidance and the microphone/documents transmission are generally the tasks assigned to hostesses. However, in other meetings, they do without them. The emphasis should be on the participation of women for the content of the exchanges rather than for the entertainment. Placing itself in a universal context, it should be noted that even when dignitaries of a certain rank participate in meetings, they often come with their protocols that coordinate all their activities during their presence at the event: identifying the places reserved for them and guiding them there at the indicated time, and liaising with the meeting organisers for other needs. Should the tradition of having hostesses to welcome and assist guests and participants be perpetuated as a cultural mark of hospitality? It is important to avoid this being seen as fuelling certain pejorative connotations. In fact, if you look closely at the physical and clothing criteria imposed on hostesses, it is easy to detect sometimes an invitation to use them as bait and libido fantasies for the male sex.

If, after analysis, the presence of hostesses proves justified, this role should be asexual and not automatically assigned to women. What feeling, emotion and image would be conveyed if the majority of dignitaries on a podium were women and the same host criteria were reserved for young men? In order to avoid any situation that could fuel or even encourage sexual abuses that are detrimental to the dignity of women in a professional context, it is wise to confine oneself to what is strictly necessary and to eliminate any excesses.

The ability to ensure that conference participants have the necessary tools and information at their disposal in a timely manner is a skill to be acquired that encompasses several organisational aspects, not necessarily related to hostesses. It is therefore not necessary for women to work exclusively as hostesses at conferences and meetings. The fact that women work as hostesses while a small percentage of women are lecturers or technicians at the same conference sends a typical sexist message: women are only involved in the least valued positions, on the sidelines, while men make key decisions and discuss business.

It has often been said that this inevitably involves a change in mentality: a change in the perception of women in meetings. This is a multi-stakeholder invitation: it implies that women themselves become aware of the importance of their contribution to the sector and value their contributions. This is another mentality that runs counter to exhibiting or even objectifying women for their physical attributes rather than for their intellect, proven and potential competence. In turn, this calls into question the value of women's contribution to the development of a cashew sector that benefits all stakeholders. In the same logic, introspection can also lead the meeting organisers and conferences to seriously question whether they present, through their events, the image of an avant-garde cashew sector; an industry which values both men and women for their strong contributions to the sector. Or whether, conversely, their choices imply and promote the maintenance of a pre-established gender division with little room for innovation and beneficial change. The panellists and presenters who are invited to speak or facilitate a conference also have their parts to play. Check who else is on the panel with you, or the other presenters, and communicate about the lack of diversity in the panels. Asking "are all the other panel members like me?" can be a starting point. Yet another invitation to men - and by extension to panellists who are often over-represented on panels - is to be true allies by suggesting a woman to join the panel in their place. When all stakeholders (organisers, funders, panellists, etc.) are committed to creating truly diverse communities, we get richer perspectives and the cashew sector is better off. Beyond a supposedly clothing privilege or a reduction to a supporting role, women have so much more to offer.

Alima Viviane M’Boutiki & Nana Yaa Agyepong, ComCashew/GIZ

Nutritious and Delicious - Cashew Recipe

Cashew throughout the day: 10 recipes for a cashew-fueled day!

Breakfast

Power breakfast smoothie

This banana, cashew, coffee and cocoa smoothie is a nutrient packed quick start to your day. This smoothie will be extra smooth if you soak the nuts and oats in water overnight and drain before proceeding.

Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 banana, preferably frozen

2 pitted dates/ honey to taste

1/2 cup cold-brew coffee

1/4 cup raw cashews, preferably soaked overnight

3 tablespoons oats, preferably soaked overnight

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of ground cardamom (optional)

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Using smoothie or ice crush setting, purée banana, dates, coffee, cashews, oats, cocoa powder, cardamom, salt, and 1/2 cup ice in a blender until smooth.

Source: Epicurious https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/banana-coffee-cashew-and-cocoa-smoothie#

Cashew Nut homemade butter/paste

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

500g roasted cashews

½ teaspoon vanilla powder

½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

• Add all ingredients into a food processor bowl and process until nice and smooth (Permit resting periods to prevent damage to the processor, as the cashews are hard)
• Process until nuts release their oils and turn into butter
• Do not add any other liquid
• Use cashew butter as a spread for bread.

Source: ComCashew Recipe Book.

Lunch

Chicken and cashew stir-fry

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1         bunch scallions

1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup salted roasted whole cashews

Preparation:

1. Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Pat chicken dry, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar, then stir into vegetables in wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cashews, scallion greens, and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate.
3. Serve with rice/ potatoes.

Source: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-and-cashew-stir-fry-238402

Cashew Tatale with Beans

 

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 overripe plantain fingers

1 full teaspoonful milled pepper

1 full teaspoonful ground onion

75g hard flour

50g palm oil

50g cashews

Salt to taste

Preparation

Pound the plantain

Grind onion and pepper and mix with the pounded plantain

Add flour and salt to taste

Add broken chunks of cashews

Put a little palm oil on fire in a frying pan until hot

Using a ladle, fetch the plantain mixture into the hot oil in bits and fry

Keep turning to prevent burning and serve when ready

Serving tip: Tatale can be eaten alone, with vegetable sauce, gravy or with beans and gari or served with roasted cashew at the side.

Source: ComCashew Recipe Book

Snacks

Dates and Cashew Vegan Balls

This energy booster is the perfect snack to nibble on. Loaded with the goodness of dates, cashew nuts and coconut, you can also throw in some seeds of your choice.

Ingredients

1 cup dates, deseeded

1 cup cashew nuts

¼ cup flaxseeds

1/2 cup grated coconut

A pinch of rock salt

1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Preparation:

1. Soak the dates in water for 1 hour. Drain and pat dry.
2. In a food processor, add the cashew nuts and grated coconut and blend until nice and crumbly.
3. Add the dates, salt and virgin coconut oil and pulse again until you acquire a sticky mixture.
4. Take small scoops of the mixture on your palms, and roll to form balls.
5. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate for atleast 1 hour.
6. Serve chilled.

Source: https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-dates-and-cashew-vegan-balls-846185

Garlic-Onion Cashews

Makes for a great savory snack or entrée for group dinners

Makes : 4 cups

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons onion salt

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups salted cashews

2 teaspoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

Preparation:

Mix onion salt, sugar and garlic powder.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add cashews, seasoning mixture and lemon juice; cook and stir 4-7 minutes or until cashews are toasted.

Stir in parsley.

Drain on paper towels; cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Source: Tasteofhome: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/garlic-onion-cashews/

Dinner

1.Ginger-Cashew Chicken Salad

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup molasses

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot

2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

For salad:

8 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 10 cups)

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup shredded red cabbage

2 medium carrots, shredded

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups chow mein noodles

3/4 cup salted cashews, toasted

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation:

In a small bowl, whisk the first 7 ingredients until blended. Pour 3/4 cup marinade into a large shallow dish. Add chicken; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Preheat broiler. Drain chicken, discarding marinade in dish. Place chicken in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Broil 4-6 in. from heat 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 165°. Cut chicken into strips.

Place spinach on a serving platter. Arrange chicken, oranges, cabbage, carrots and green onions on top. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles, cashews and sesame seeds. Stir reserved molasses mixture; drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Extra tip:

To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Source: tasteofhome: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/ginger-cashew-chicken-salad/

Creamy Broccoli with Cashews

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

9 cups fresh broccoli florets

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cashews

Preparation:

Place broccoli in a steamer basket; place in a large saucepan over 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Remove from the heat; stir in the sour cream, honey, vinegar, salt and paprika.

Transfer broccoli to a serving bowl. Add sour cream mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cashews.

Source: Tasteofhome: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/creamy-broccoli-with-cashews/

Desert

Stewed cashew apples

Preparation

Peel the fruits and cover them with a mixture of water and lemon juice for 2 hours. Drain the liquid and place in a pressure cooker with 1 litre of water and the sugar and cook for 5 minutes.

Open the pressure cooker, remove the lid and place the saucepan on gentle heat. Add the cinnamon and cloves and stir until the juice has reduced and lightly thickened.

Source: http://www.b4fn.org/resources/recipes/recipes/stewed-cashew-apples/

Drink

Cashew Apple Juice

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 - 3 cashew apples

Pinch of salt

Pinch of white pepper

powder

Pinch of sugar

Preparation:

Wash and cut cashew fruits into pieces and put into a blender

Blend adding a little water at a time until a fine consistency is achieved

Add the salt, white pepper powder and the sugar

Strain the juice and pour into a glass

Serve chilled

Serving tip: A fruit juice extractor can be used instead of a blender. Cashew juice contains

vitamin c and other important nutrients that children require. Serve with slices of coconut

cashew banana bread, cashew meat pie or mexi-cashews as a delicious snack option for

children.

Source: ComCashew Recipe Book

Interview with Dr Adama COULIBALY - General Director, Conseil du Coton et de l’Anacarde (CCA)

Since the 2013 reforms, Côte d'Ivoire has systematically made positive efforts in the cashew nut sector. Please tell us about your main efforts that have improved the production, marketing and processing of cashew nuts and its by-products.

The political will of the State of Côte d'Ivoire to structurally transform high-potential commodity chains has led to the main results we have achieved. The main efforts made are as follows: (i) the establishment of a permanent support and advisory system for producers; (ii) the provision of jute bags adapted to the preservation of quality at the level of producers and exporters; (iii) the relaunch of research with the provision of high-yield equipment and techniques for rehabilitating old orchards; (iv) the sanitation of the marketing system through the approval of actors and a system of traceability of the physical flows of products and price control; (v) the establishment of mechanisms and measures to encourage private investment and the installation of processing units.

What are the main lessons learned since 2013?

The development of the sector requires political will. Moreover, a synergy of the various actions carried out for the benefit of the actors, particularly the producers, can allow the use of resources to be optimised.

What have been the impacts in the cashew industry?

- An improvement in producers' income with 300 to 500 billion euros distributed to them each year, compared to 222 billion euros in 2014.

- The creation of numerous jobs with more than 400,000 producers and nearly 2,500,000 indirect beneficiaries. An increase in production with nearly 900,000 tons.

- Also, an improvement in the quality of the product with humidity levels below 10%. In addition, more than 23 operational units are registered with an installed capacity of 295,000 tons in 2020. About ten units are under construction and will be operational in 2021 with an additional capacity of 166,000 tons.

Could you tell us 3 things you would do differently today if you had the opportunity (regarding cashew processing and marketing)?

i.    Encouraging greater direct state involvement in local cashew nut processing.

ii.   Deepen efforts on the creation of local cashew nut processing technologies.

iii.  Create a label or brand made in Côte d'Ivoire.

From your point of view, what could be the reason for the low consumption of cashew in Africa?

The cashew almond is a little known product and is not part of the African diet. The price of the product is high and seems to be reserved for one social class. Moreover, from a sociological point of view, old prejudices about the harmfulness of consuming cashew products have yet to be erased from people's minds.

The CCA is actively engaged in promoting the consumption and marketing of cashew nuts and cashew products. Could you share with us your experience as an example for other countries?

We have set up a platform for artisans of by-products and we promote it through national and international forums. At trade fairs, we rent space for by-products manufacturers.

Do you know of any policies that can inspire/encourage an increase in local consumption of cashew and cashew products?

There is a need to communicate the properties of the kernel as well as its health benefits including the absence of cholesterol, a perfect substitute for peanuts and an alternative for many other types of consumers, including vegans and vegetarians.

Côte d'Ivoire is a model when it comes to encouraging local processing, marketing and consumption. Please share with us some key experiences?

The secret of Côte d'Ivoire lies essentially in the political will and hard work of the actors from the edge of the fields to the export of raw and finished products.

 In terms of the impact of your efforts, what is missing so far or what needs to be put in place?

Our efforts have made it possible to clean up the market and the business environment through products and conditions adapted to all types of private investors with or without national capital. What needs to be done is perfect collaboration between producer countries to align certain agricultural policies and control production volumes and prices.

In your opinion, what is the role of the private sector, research and development partners in promoting the consumption of cashew nuts and its by-products?

I remain convinced that the private sector has an important role to play in the promotion of cashew nut products. It will be a question of involving them more so that these products gradually become part of our eating habits. As an example, we can imagine that in hotels and restaurants cashew kernels replace a certain number of dried fruits, most of which are imported.

What do you think of the global communication/exchange of knowledge on the health benefits of cashew nuts? How does this affect market dynamics?

It is so important that we make every effort to promote workshops and fairs to showcase the benefits of cashew nuts. To this end, every two years we organise the International Cashew Processing Equipment and Technologies Exhibition (SIETTA) to promote processing technologies and by-products value. At the research level, we organise the International Colloquium for Scientific Exchange on Cashew Nuts (CIESA) to promote scientific exchanges and the transfer of transferable knowledge to the popularisation.  

Do you have anything else to add?

We would like to thank the actors in the value chain, including our producers for all the efforts made to develop the sector. I would like to make a strong appeal to national and international private investors to invest in a profitable sector for which the state has taken numerous financial, fiscal and legal measures to facilitate their establishment. Finally, I hope that the International Cashew Advisory Council will play an important role in the life of the sector in terms of international cooperation.