Need to revamp cashew production for job creation

 The primary occupation of the people in the Bono and Bono East regions, known as “food basket” of the country, is agriculture, particu­larly crop farming and livestock rearing, employing a large por­tion of the economically active labour force.

However, the cultivation of cashew, a cash crop, is another venture, helping significantly in improving the local economy and generating income, thereby reducing poverty among the people. Cashew apple can be processed into juice, brandy, jam, wine and syrup among others.

The cultivation of the ca­shew takes place in Jaman North and South, Tain, Wenchi and Banda, Kintampo North and South as well as Nkoranza North and Nkoranza municipality.

Statistics from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) indicates that at least 300,000 farmers in these areas, are direct­ly involved in cashew farming, producing between 200,000 and 250,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts every year.

Again, records from the Gha­na Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) show that cashew is the country’s leading non-tradi­tional export commodity, with the export of raw cashew nuts generating at least 347 million dollars in 2023.

Cashew farming does not only provide jobs for farmers, but also engage farmhands, includ­ing the raw cashew nut pickers, largely women, and those who sort and unplug the cashew nuts from the apples.

Despite the importance, cashew production is bedevilled with teething challenges.

Regrettably, most financial institutions, shy away from the agriculture sector, declining to offer financial support to farmers. A few others, including commercial and rural banks, willing to support, only offer short-term financing, charging cut-throat interest rates, some as high as 45 per cent, resulting in default payments.

Cashew farmers are confront­ed with the challenge of high cost of agrochemicals, including fertilisers, pesticides, weedicides, which are imported with foreign currency, resulting in high prices of the inputs.

Another challenge of cashew producers, is the acquisition of land, particularly for the youth, to go into cashew farming. Land tenure system (stool and family own) makes it difficult for people to easily access land for cashew cultivation, unless outright land purchase.

Also, the price of raw cashew nuts continue to fluctuate. Although the Tree Crops De­velopment Authority has been established to regulate cashew production, local and foreigner buyers, manipulate the system by adjusting weighing scales and fixing low price for raw cashew, to the detriment of farmers.

In fact, some foreigner buyers go as far as to the farm gate to purchase the crop, against the law. Cashew apples are left to rot on the farm due to transporta­tion problems.

There is no doubt that cashew production contributes largely to the economic fortunes of farm­ers in Bono and Bono regions.

The sector requires pragmatic solutions from government and other stakeholders, to harness its full potential, to enhance sustain­able development.

The Ghanaian Times, therefore, appeals to the government and other stakeholders to focus on improving cashew tree quali­ty, providing farmers with the adequate education on best agriculture practices, and credit facilities.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture should strengthen the cashew value chain through processing and market access, to ensure good pricing for cashew nuts.

The government should invest in infrastructure and technolo­gy to enhance processing and storage.

There is the urgent need to revamp cashew production, to provide employment for the teeming unemployed youth, since government alone can­not solve the unemployment problem