The National Convener of Cashew Watch Ghana, Raphael Ahenu says cashew production can transform Ghana’s economy if the country works towards tapping into the full potential of more than $660 million.
According to him, Ghana’s cashew export earnings in 2020 alone fetched the nation $340.7 million.
Mr. Ahenu indicated that the cashew sector had huge potential and prospects to transform the economy and appealed to the government to prioritise investments in the industry.
His appeal came during the launching of the “Amplifying the Voices of Cashew Farmers (AVFC)” project at Sampa in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region.
The AVFC project, implemented by Cashew Watch Ghana and funded by the STAR Ghana Foundation, is a 15-month endeavour to empower cashew farmers and promote their growth. The project centres on two key aspects: advocating for better prices and addressing obstacles that hinder the sector’s progress.
The Cashew Watch Ghana says it is imperative for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other relevant stakeholders to capitalize on the global prospects of the cashew industry and implement pragmatic measures to transform it into a key driver of the socio-economic development of the country.
Raphael Amenu reiterated that this can be achieved by adopting policies and regulations that encourage investment, value addition, and improved market access for cashew farmers.
“Ghana’s estimated annual production of between 110,000 and 130,000 tons of raw cashew nuts is not encouraging,” he said, and that more must be done for the industry to contribute significantly to economic growth, particularly in job creation and poverty reduction.”
Mr Ahenu appealed to the Government to increase technical and financial support for the Tree Crop Development Authority to effectively implement the 10-year National Cashew Development Plan.
Meanwhile, Victor Yao-Dablu, the Jaman North District Director of Agriculture, revealed that cashew production in the area was encouraging and called for adequate supply of processors from the government to the farmers to add value to the nuts.
He applauded STAR Ghana Foundation for funding the project and expressed the hope that its implementation would help fetch the farmers a reasonable price for their labour.
Cashew Watch Ghana is a civil society platform comprising cashew farmers, non-governmental organisations, media and local processors.
The Global cashew market size is projected to hit a value of US$10.5 billion by 2031, the CWG said.
Currently, the global market size is hovering around US$7 billion.
