Highlights of 2014
ACA experienced a multitude of successes and changes during the year of 2014. It was difficult to choose our most significant moments, but here is a glimpse:
January: In collaboration with the Global Shea Alliance and Borderless Alliance, ACA was awarded a grant under the USAID Toward Inclusive Markets Everywhere (TIME) program entitled “Industry Alliances Working Together to Empower Poor Rural Women in the Cashew and Shea Sectors”. This project seeks to help farmers to improve product quality and meet international standards in both sectors, strengthening their ability to improve their livelihood through engaging more effectively with export markets.
February: ACA bid farewell to Xenia Defontaine, who served for 4 years as our Public Relations Manager. Her contributions in facilitating communication between the Secretariat and cashew stakeholders were invaluable to the African cashew sector.
March: Equatorial Nut Processors Ltd (ENP), a Kenyan-based cashew processing facility, became the first African company to join ACA’s Advisory Board. ENP is a model processor, internationally recognized through several certifications, including HACCP, ISO 22000, and ACA’s own Quality Seal.
April: The second segment of a three-session program aiming to increase industry knowledge among actors across the cashew value-chain, called the Master Training Program (MTP), was held in Bouake, Côte d’Ivoire, with participants representing both private and public sector organizations from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
May: Two of Kenya’s foremost cashew processors, ENP and Jungle Nuts, were re-certified by the ACA Quality Seal program.
Employees of Equatorial Nut Processors (ENP)
June: Burkina Faso demonstrated its commitment to improving its domestic cashew sector through the subscription of two major processors to the ACA Seal program – Anatrans and Sotria-B. Both facilities are well on their way to becoming certified within the foreseeable future.
July: The final session of the Master Training Program was held in Sunyani, Ghana. Equipped with new knowledge and revamped motivation, 65 participants were awarded certificates indicating that they are now “master trainers” and will now serve as experts in their respective communities, sharing best agricultural practices.
Benin-based Tolaro Global, the first cashew processor to ever receive the ACA Seal, was re-approved for the third consecutive year, proving its commitment to high-quality, socially responsible, sustainable cashew production.
August: ACA re-established relations with Guinea-Bissau’s major cashew stakeholders after more than a year of disruption which followed a political coup in March 2012. ACA signed an MoU with the Agencia National de Caju (ANCA), the national association dedicated to advocating for cashew farmers and processors in Guinea-Bissau.
September: In its push to support rural farmers, ACA held its first Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for 20 representatives of Nigerian cashew-producing regions. The training took place in Parakou, Benin and covered a vast array of topics related to good agricultural practices (GAP), including farm management and maintenance.
ACA delivers workshops on good agricultural practices in Benin
On September 12, ACA mourned the passing of its former President, Mr. Idrissa Kilangi. He was an indispensable proponent of the African cashew industry, and his loss is felt very heavily.
October: Mim Cashew and Agricultural Products Ltd, one of the most highly-renowned cashew processors in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana, received ACA Seal certification for the third consecutive year, setting a shining example for other facilities in the area.
Throughout the month of October, 2,000 Nigerian farmers were trained on the principles of GAP by the trainers who attended the ToT workshop the previous month. This knowledge- and skill-sharing supports the USAID TIME mission to empower rural cashew farmers to improve their livelihoods.
ACA also participated in a strategic meeting organized by the USAID-NEXTT project in Nigeria in conjunction with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). This meeting resulted in an agreement for future collaboration in the form of technical assistance to Nigerian stakeholders under NEPC’s sponsorship for the 2015-2016 period.
November: FoodPro, a Nigerian cashew processor, became the first in its country to join the ranks of the six other ACA Seal-certified facilities. In a country which only processes 20% of its cashew harvest, this is a pivotal accomplishment.
The second ToT workshop was hosted in Nigeria for twenty participants representing Kogi, Kwara, and Oyo states. This training was titled “Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling Operations of Cashew Nuts” and its contents will be relayed to farmers in the trainers’ respective communities.
Harvest and Post-Harvest Best Practices Training
December: Throughout the month of December, 2,000 Nigerian farmers were trained on the principles of harvest and post-harvest techniques by the trainers who attended the ToT workshop the previous month. This knowledge- and skill-sharing supports the USAID TIME mission to empower rural cashew farmers to improve their livelihoods.
