Gambia: Country's cashewnut production will rise to 5,000 metric tons by 2010

Ram Mohan, head of the African Cashew Alliance for the Gambia National Committee, has disclosed that The GambiaÂ's raw cashewnut production is expected to increase up to five thousand (5000) metric tons per year by 2010.

He noted that The Gambia has an ideal climate for cashew production. According to him, this sector is now taking first steps towards processing cashewnuts. Mohan made these remarks during the recent meeting of the ad-hoc committee on the proposed hosting of the 5th annual ACA conference, to be held in The Gambia in June 2010. The meeting brought together representatives of all sections of the value chain: producers, processors, traders and international buyers with the aims of introducing the ACA to Gambian cashew farmers and processors and recruiting them for a future national ACA committee.

ACA is a major industry body that promotes the African cashew sector from production to consumption, and aims at helping the cashew stakeholders to capitalise on the sectorÂ's potential for economic growth and employment. The US ambassador to The Gambia, Barry Wells, told the meeting that the US Department of State for Agriculture along with IRD, funded the monetization project to support capacity building in the cashew sector. Since then, he went on, IRD has been providing training for farmers with the goal of maximizing the income and capacity of 50,000 cashew farmers and their families, indirectly benefiting an estimated 350,000 people. Â"To stress the United States governmentÂ's efforts to continue in supporting this rapidly growing crop in Africa, USAID has recently given the ACA U$146,000 to improve access to finance for cashew businesses in the region,Â" he added.

Ambassador Wells said the meeting was in two parts: to sensitize the cashew farmers, producers, buyers, traders and processors, and for the African Cashew Alliance as an organisation, to become a member of the Gambia National ACA; and to highlight the possibilities for The Gambia to host the 2010 ACA conference. The US diplomat described cashew as potential alternative cash crop for The Gambia. According to him, The Gambia has an ideal climate for growing cashew, offers good drying conditions, and a stable political climate.

Ambassador Wells disclosed that the Gambia ACA conference will afford the country the opportunity to put its best foot forward and show its potential for cashew productivity in the region. He expressed hopes that the participants will do all they can to support the sector and promote The GambiaÂ's involvement by taking advantage of this membership opportunity and doing all they can to advance The GambiaÂ's presence in West Africa within the cashew sector.

Christian Dahm, manager, African Cashew Alliance based in Accra, Ghana, dwelled on the mission and objectives of ACA. According to him, their objectives amongst others are to increase farmersÂ' income, process quality and quantity and also to improve the regulatory environment and increase consumption.


Source: allafrica.com

Publication date: 12/9/2009

respond to this article  email this article    print

Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here

 

<< back | www.freshplaza.com