Experts train cashew nuts players to drive value addition and industry growth

SADIK HASSAN- KNA

The African Cashew Alliance (ACA) is intensifying efforts to unlock the full economic potential of the cashew industry by equipping actors with practical skills in production, processing, value addition and marke ting, as the continent seeks to boost competitiveness, create jobs and increase farmers’ incomes.

ACA is strengthening expertise across the cashew value chain from policy, production and processing to marketing through a blend of theoretical and hands-on training tar geting key players in the sector.

ACA, in partnership with the Market Oriented Value Chains for Jobs and Growth in the ECOWAS Region (MOVE) and the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, with funding from the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), conducted a week-long second session of the 21st edition of the Master Tra ining Programme (MTP) for Cashew Value Chain Promotion in Africa.

The programme follows the first session held in Tanzania in June.

During the Mombasa training, 81 participants from Burundi, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania underwent intensive training on Good Agricultural Management Practices (GAMP), sustai nable cashew processing, gender-responsive appro aches and leadership in the cashew sector.

Participants also received practical instruction on harvesting and post-har vest handling, nut quality measurement, cashew apple juice processing, by-products and the eco nomics of processing.

The MTP is a long-run ning capacity-building ini tiative designed to develop both established and emer ging professionals in the cashew industry, creating a pool of experts capable of driving the sector’s growth and competitiveness across Africa.

Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director General Calistus Kundu said the training had equipped participants with practical knowledge and skills that would strengthen efforts to develop Africa’s cashew industry.

“The knowledge acqui red should not end here. We have a responsibility to transfer these skills to farmers, processors, exten sion officers, investors, as well as other value chain actors.

By applying what you have learned, we can contribute to increased productivity, improved quality, enhanced value addition, greater market competitiveness and improved income for our farmers,” said Kundu.

He noted that Kenya has enormous potential to revive and expand its cashew industry, recalling that the crop was once referred to as “white gold” because of the wealth it generated for farmers.

“Through partnerships among government insti tutions, county gover nments, the private sector, development partners and research organisations, we can build a vibrant and sustainable cashew value chain that creates employ ment, supports food and nutritional security, and contributes to economic growth,” he said.