Cashew farmers appeal for processing factory

 Cashew farmers in the Bono Region have called on the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA) to facilitate the establishment of a process­ing factory for the cashew apple to generate more income.

According to the farmers, almost all the cashew apple are left to rot on the farms due the lack of technical know-how and industries to process them into useful projects.

Some of the products from cashew apple includes, juices, jam, alcoholic beverages such as wine.

These came to light during the launch of the second phase of Amplifying Voices of Cashew farmers by the Cashew Watch Ghana, a civil society advocacy group at Banda in the Bono Region, yesterday.

The project seeks to among other things, strengthen and em­power cashew farmers to know their rights through the forma­tion of cooperatives, so as to receive the needed support from state actors and organisations for their farming activities.

Mr Alex Bonsu, who rep­resents farmers on the Tree Crop Development Authority, told the Ghanaian Times that the cashew sector was bedeviled with many challenges and expressed the hope that the government estab­lished a cashew board to regulate the sector.

Mr Bonsu revealed that the TCDA had plans in the future to establish a processing factory at vantage points in the country to add value to the cashew crop

He explained that due to lack of processing factory, most farm­ers were not deriving the needed benefits from the crop, saying farmers had no other options than to leave the apple to rot on their farms.

According to him, members of the Tree Crop Development Authority had met the Food and Agriculture Minister, Eric Opoku, on the issue and his response was positive.

Mr Bonsu also revealed that illegal mining activities in cashew growing areas in the region was posing a serious threat to the sus­tainability of the cashew sector and appealed to the government to find lasting solution to the menace.

“Most of the youth at Banda, Sarbie and other surrounding communities are engaged in galamsey destroying cashew farms in search of gold,” he stated.

The Tain District Director of Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Alfred Anaman, advised the farmers against the misuse of agrochemicals, including weed­icides and pesticides indicating that the practice posed threat to the environment and lives of farmers.

He then urged them to adhere to good agronomic practices including periodic pruning and smart agriculture to mitigate the negative impact of climate change.

Mr Anaman told the farmers to always approach agric extension officers for advice to improve upon their yields.

The Tain District MoFA also commended Cashew Watch Gha­na for the initiative, which ac­cording to him, would go a long way to empower the farmers.

The National Coordinator of Cashew Watch Ghana, Mr Raphael Ahenu, said under the phase of the project, cashew farmers would be registered to be recognised as a mouthpiece to champion their course.

“We would also organised an­nual cashew festival to showcase cashew products as a form of marketing strategy.

“In order to mitigate climate change impacts on cashew farm­ers, the project would promote smart agriculture and farmers would be taken through training,” he added.

Madam Veronica Azaanab, a cashew farmer, also appealed for a fair stable prices for farmers in order to enable them derive their best.

ROM DANIEL DZIRASAH,
BANDA

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