• As ACA signs MoU with Cambodia
With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cashewnut Association of Cambodia (CAC), the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) says the continent’s cashew production and productivity is set to hit 5.6 million metric tonnes in the next five years.
The President of the African Cashew Alliance, Otunba Tola Faseru, who led Africa to the signing ceremony, in Siem Reap, Cambodia, said the collaboration covers cooperation on Cashew growth and development, covering areas of research, science and technology sharing and transfer, training and exchange of scientists between cashew producing countries in Africa and Cambodia.
Cambodia is the second largest supplier of Cashew in the world, with the world best quality and yield per hectare.
Faseru, who is the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Osun State, said the MoU is in order for Africa to achieve greater heights in its economy, noting that agriculture is a low hanging fruit and up scaling its output is key and very strategic option to take, in tandem with the economies of scale principle.
He noted that the implication is that the research institutes and other cashew organisations in Africa could ride on the MoU.
“With this MoU signing, it is expected that Africa will be able to double its production and productivity in five years. At present, Africa produces about 60 per cent of the world total raw cashew output. The African production figure stands at 2.8 million metric tonnes with Ivory Coast taking the lead with 1.2 million metric tonnes, followed by Nigeria with 320,000 metric tonnes and Tanzania in the third position with production of 270,000 metric tonnes.
“The collaboration will bring the production level to about five million metric tonnes. The productivity per hectare will increase from the present 400kg to 500kg per hectare to two metric tonnes per hectare. The quality bar is expected to increase from 51 kor to 54 kor.
“This collaboration with Cambodia, the second largest supplier of Cashew in the world, with the world best quality and yield per hectare, will ensure cooperation on Cashew growth and development, covering areas of research, science and technology sharing and transfer, training and exchange of scientists between cashew producing countries in Africa and Cambodia.”
Faseru assured that the partnership means increase in yield and increase in farmers’ income and improved livelihood, adding that it will also help Africa prepare for more raw cashew nuts needed to feed the increasing processing capacity both in Africa and the world at large.
