Latest News
THE MARKETING OF CASHEW NUTS
January 23, 2023
LIFFT-Project and Cashew Day
December 5, 2022
INTERCROPPING FOR A GOOD RCN QUALITY
August 4, 2022
NO MORE ACCEPTING RICE FOR CASHEW NUTS
August 3, 2022LIFFT-Cashew
This is a 6-year program (2017-2023) funded by USDA and implemented by Shelter for Life International to enhance the production and trade of cashews in local and international markets.
The LIFFT-Cashew project works around four objectives which are:
Increase RCN quality
Production: High yields and high quality of RCN in trees
Production of organic RCN
Organic certification: Production of organic RCN
Post-harvest Farming
Maintain high quality of RCN after harvesting
Post-production handling
Improve post-production handling, and strengthen farm management.
Our Components
On-Farm Practices
Training on good agricultural practices was provided to 20,946 cashew producers through pre-selected cooperative members as trainers/facilitators, who attended thematic train-the-trainer modules on pruning, thinning, nut separation, drying, storage, organic standards, and new plantation establishment techniques. A total of 721 trainers were trained. 32 nurseries were established by the support of the project in three countries and in total 98.000 seedlings were produced and sold to cashew producers. In total 46.815 hectares of cashew plantations were improved by application of good agricultural practices. 3.027 producers were certified for organic production.
Market Access
24 cooperative societies were established or strengthened by providing series of training and daily coaching on business management, access to finance, sales, and market relations. Massive sensitization of cooperatives was supported, reaching at least 25,278 cashew producers. This resulted 145 commercial contracts signed between cooperatives and buyers, on supply of RCN. In total 122.397 MT of cashew nuts were sold collectively amounting $105.912.210 in value of sales.
Access to Finance
The Project is working with financial institutions to increase access to microcredits and loans to cashew producers and processors. Two (2) financial institutions (microfinance) provided loans in amount of $917,897 and fifty-three (53) individual buyers and trading companies provided to producers and cooperatives pre-financing in amount of $64.487.593. The project Cashew fund disbursed to nine (9) processing facilities loans in amount of $740.000 for purchase of raw cashew nuts (RCN) during the season, that leveraged $4.641.041 private investment into the cashew sector. 1.777 individuals (incl. 463 women) were trained about entrepreneurship, financial management, loans.
Infrastructure
Construction and rehabilitation of rural roads to facilitate the flow of cashew nuts. combines both heavy machinery and manual labor to create employment opportunities. To date 136,24 KM of feeder roads constructed and 4,640 jobs created. In total 15.564 m3 of storage were rehabilitated and constructed which allowed farmers to maintain quality and organize collective sales.
