The Cashew Council is the first international organisation for a raw material stemming from Africa. The industry promises to make progress in processing and refining cashew nuts - and answers to climate change
Maria Schmidt studied Political Science, focussing on development cooperation and policy analysis in sub-Saharan Africa early in her Franco-German studies at the Sciences Po Bordeaux Institute and University of Stuttgart. This led her first to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation, then to the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Benin and, most recently, to the GIZ in Ghana. She has been working there for the ComCashew project since December 2015, and, within her advisory duties, is primarily involved with public partners in promoting the cashew value chain.
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
50 percent of all cashew nuts come from Africa, making the continent the largest producer of cashew nuts worldwide. The majority of this harvest is produced by 1.5 million smallholders. Cashews play an increasingly important economic role in the countries producing them. In 2016, this growing importance resulted in the founding of the Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC) in the Ivory Coast. For the first time, an organisation for agricultural commodities was established at the initiative of African production countries.
The raw cashew nuts are procured from the local farmers and local market.
Agriculture plays a very special role in Africa. Two thirds of the African population work in this sector, making it the largest employer on the continent. Most African countries face the challenge of trying to establish a sustainable and forward-looking agricultural sector. The rural population and especially the youth, which makes up just under 60 percent, needs prospective outlook.
The cultivation and processing of cashew nuts opens up these types of avenues. Cashews, also called ‘grey gold’, are considered a ‘miracle weapon’ in many countries, since they are very promising. Cashew trees are ideal for adapting to climate change. The progressive climate change is forcing many farmers, especially in the Sahel region, to try new things. Periods of increased temperature and dryness in these areas, for example, make traditional mango cultivation difficult. Cashew trees offer these smallholders an innovative and future-oriented alternative. Another great potential lies in local processing, which creates numerous jobs. Last but not least, as an export product cashews facilitate a connection to the international market.
The cashew apple, also called cashew fruit, is the fleshy part of the cashew fruit attached to the cashew nut.
However, the cashew sector also faces numerous challenges. Smallholders of cashew nuts are usually poorly organised, associations and cooperatives hardly exist, and there is a lack of financial and human capacities. Furthermore, most countries do not (or only sporadically) support cashews with political initiatives, regulations and funding programmes.
Nevertheless, governments in production countries are becoming increasingly aware of the potential of the cashew sector. This led to the founding of the Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC) in Ivory Coast in November 2016. It aims to promote the sector by sharing and providing analytical tools and information. The fledgling organisation now has to prove that it has the right response for a promising dynamic sector.
Bundling all energies to act as one in representing the cashew sector
On 17 November 2016, the first four member states, Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo and Burkina Faso, signed the Convention establishing the Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC). Today, the CICC has nine member countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Togo, and Senegal), which jointly represent 42 percent of the global cashew production.
‘The idea is that the big producers can act as one on a global scale,’ says Dr Adama Coulibaly, director of the Ivorian cashew and cotton regulator CCA (Conseil Coton et Anacarde), in an interview with RFI, Radio France Internationale. ‘When OPEC talks about oil, nobody can really go against it. This is our goal for the cashew sector: to have an organisation that produces statistics, analyses the sector and pools all energies.’ The initiative to establish the CICC goes back to the Ivorian government. Today, Ivory Coast is the global market leader with a cashew production of more than 700,000 tonnes annually.
The CICC is similar to other existing agricultural commodity organisations. Goods produced in Africa that are important for international trade were combined early-on in so-called ‘commodity organisations’, mostly from a colonial-economic perspective and later as a result of various international commodity agreements. In the agricultural sector, this included export goods such as cocoa, coffee, cotton or rubber. One of the oldest organisations like this is ICAC (International Cotton Advisory Committee), which was founded in Washington in 1939. ICAC became an international platform for all production countries and a reference point for statistics, information and analysis for the cotton sector. These are intergovernmental organisations whose members are the respective production countries and sometimes also consumer countries.
Their goal is the publication of information on the individual agricultural commodities to promote trade. A trade that for the most part leads from the global south to the markets of the industrialised nations. The annual conferences serve as political exchange forums. The CICC also wants to become a reference and platform for the still early cashew sector. One major difference is that the CICC is an initiative of African players, based in Ivory Coast, with the aim to promote and represent this increasingly important resource straight from Africa unlike cotton (ICAC) from Washington or coffee (ICO) and cocoa (ICCO) from London.
The cashew sector has the distinctive feature of being a relatively young sector that has only gained importance in recent decades. The sector now has to be structured jointly and from an African perspective. In contrast to other organisations that were set up as mere information platforms, the CICC is more than just a forum that simplifies trade with developed countries by publishing sectoral data and analysis. The CICC considers itself to be a political platform and also pursues a development policy interest. In the preamble to the convention establishing the CICC, the member states recognise the potential that cashews have in the fight against poverty and for the creation of prospects in the member states. Furthermore, the signatory states ‘welcome the pioneering work of technical and financial development partners in the cashew value chain and announce their willingness to take ownership of the achievements in order to improve them’. According to the convention, the goal of the CICC is to promote cooperation and coordination between member states in all areas of the cashew value chain.
The cashew, more than just a nut
The potential of the cashew tree is of great importance to African countries. Originally, the tree was planted extensively to combat desertification. The African share of today’s global cashew production already exceeds half of the global production and this trend is increasing. Currently, cashew production is not increasing in any other growing region, neither in Southeast Asia nor Brazil. This increase is nowhere near the demand for cashew nuts on the world market, which is growing at an annual rate of approximately 6 to 7 per cent. Africa offers the best conditions for growing cashews, and as climate change progresses, the cashew tree, which strives in a dry climate, is increasingly becoming an alternative for many smallholders, especially in the Sahel zone. Because cashews create potential for farmers involved in cultivation, but also and especially in local processing. The proportion of locally processed cashew nuts is still far too low. Only one out of 10 cashew nuts grown in Africa is actually cracked on the continent. Most of the production is exported as raw material to Asia. The refinement into edible cashews takes place in countries such as India and Vietnam because processing in Africa is still not profitable enough in most cases.
The processing of cashewnut is a four stage process, each designed to produce quality edible cashew kernel.
This is partly due to lack of infrastructure, lack of investment and fluctuating prices. Governments in production countries are trying to create political and economic incentives to strengthen local processing because this is an occupation that primarily employs women and represents much-needed income for many families. There is huge potential for production countries to increase local processing. According to the competitive cashew initiative ‘ComCashew’, a regional GIZ project that has been promoting the cashew value chain in Africa since 2009, up to one million jobs could be created each year if all African cashew nuts (around 1.5 million tonnes) were processed into cashew kernels in Africa.
The process of grading is designed to sort the white cashew kernel into different grades. The cashew kernel are packed into plastic bags of different sized for sale in local market and in tins for sending to other markets.
Cashews thus offer important social, economic and ecological potential. Governments in production countries are aware of this and see the promotion of the cashew sector as an opportunity to make a long-term contribution to the development of their countries. The founding of the CICC can be understood as an expression of this opportunity.
The organisation is still in its infancy. Since its inception, a ministerial meeting has taken place and the 9 Ministers that were present agreed on an operationalisation plan. Now it is important to implement this plan. Next November, the SIETTA fair will be held in Abidjan for the third time (‘Salon International des Equipements et Technologies de l'Anacarde’), the only cashew industry fair in Africa and thus the most important meeting point for this sector in the entire continent. Same as in the previous year, the agriculture and industry ministers of the nine CICC member countries will meet for the next Council of Ministers and most likely appoint the first Secretary General of the CICC. After a two-year formation and operationalisation phase, the CICC is finally about to make a breakthrough. Government officials are well aware of the necessity and importance of the CICC. It now remains to be seen if this particular African initiative can provide the framework for a still young but dynamic and promising sector in Africa. The 1.5 million smallholders who make up this dynamic range certainly have the highest expectations.
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Three female entrepreneurs from Mozambique, Sri Lanka and Uganda tell their stories about starting organic businesses from scratch, now selling Baobab Oil, Gotukola powder and Shea butter in international markets. And they explain why their business is almost 100 percent female.
There are only about 1 million jobs in the East African country. The majority of the population works in the informal sector, and it can be difficult for them to find customers. Biscate offers a digital solution - without the need for internet, data or smartphones.
Together they are stronger: In many African countries, young men and women are coming together to form youth organisations. These organisations help young people in rural areas to earn a living in the agricultural and food sector, creating prospects for the future in rural areas.
During the Women Leadership Programme in May 2024, around 20 women from African countries and Germany met again for a one-week workshop in Bavaria, Germany to become fit for leadership in their organisations. One topic that concerns the women across countries is climate change, but also violence against women and their discrimination in agriculture.
German and Ugandan women farmers come together in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to exchange experiences – from modern milking systems to the challenges of women's participation in agricultural decision-making. Amid goats, lavender ice cream, and engaging discussions, one thing becomes clear: women can achieve great things together, across borders and generations.
As a passionate social scientist and entrepreneur from Malawi, Ngabaghila Chatata knows that she can overcome any challenge. Her story stands out in a country faced with high unemployment, particularly in its rural areas. As the managing director of Thanthwe Farms, she has set out to inspire the next generation of young agripreneurs – proving that successful business starts with the right mindset, not only capital.
Countries across Africa coordinate their efforts in the fight against corona by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) of the African Union in Addis Abeba. Until now, the curve of new infections has been successfully flattened – why? Dr. Ahmed Ouma, Deputy Director, explains the work of CDC in an interview with Tilman Wörtz.
Every year in October, the "Welthungerhilfe" aid organisation, with the Irish "Concern Worldwide" NGO, publishes the Global Hunger Index, a tool with which the hunger situation is recorded. What are the trends - and what needs to be done?
Over a period of two years, the Ceres2030 team spent researching answers to the questions of how much it will how much it will cost to realize SDG 2 and where that money should be spent most effectively. IISD Senior Advisor and Ceres2030 Co-director Carin Smaller about small farmers, machine learning and women empowerment.
The CGIAR agricultural research organization is systematically repositioning itself. We spoke with Juergen Voegele, Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank, about progress to date - and discuss what needs to be done collectively to stop global hunger in ten years.
In August, Germany’s development ministry set up a division concentrating on One Health topics. Parliamentary State Secretary Maria Flachsbarth on knowledge gaps at the human-animal-environmental interface, the link between One Health and food security, and lessons learnt from previous pandemics.
Innovation is the only way to end hunger worldwide by the deadline we have set ourselves. The secret lies in networking and sharing ideas – and several initiatives are already leading by example.
After four years of Donald Trump in the White House, it is time to take stock: What policies did the Republican government pursue in African regions? And what will change in favor of Joe Biden after the election decision? Here is an evaluation.
The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) was launched by the G20 countries in 2010 in response to the 2008-09 food price crisis to increase both public and private investment in agriculture. An overview of the programme's approach, results and impact.
Even though COVID-19 poses a threat to the health of humanity, the reaction to the pandemic must not cause more suffering than the disease itself. This is particularly relevant for poor developing countries, where the impact of the corona crisis on food security is even more severe!
The COVID 19 pandemic is hitting developing and emerging countries and their poorest populations particularly hard. It is important to take countermeasures at an early stage. Companies in the German agricultural sector want to make their contribution to ensuring the availability of urgently needed operating resources.
In most African countries, the infection COVID-19 is likely to trigger a combined health and food crisis. This means: In order to cope with this unprecedented crisis, consistently aligning our policies to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is more important than ever, our author maintains.
Time to dig deeper: We can only benefit from technical progress if we have a solid legal framework for everybody. But so far, none is in sight - in many countries. Instead, international corporations grow ever more powerful.
Enabling smallholders to trade across regions and borders promotes food security and economic growth. Although everyone is calling for exactly that, implementation is still difficult
Interview with Paul Newnham, Director of the SDG 2 Advocacy Hub.
The UN Food Systems pre-Summit in Rome dealt with transforming the ways of our nutrition. How do you bring that to a broad public? Questions to Paul Newnham, the Director of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 Advocacy Hub.
Interview with Martina Fleckenstein (WWF), Michael Kühn (WHH) and Christel Weller-Molongua (GIZ)
After the summit means pre-summit: It was the first time that the United Nations held a summit on food systems. Martina Fleckenstein, Michael Kühn and Christel Weller-Molongua reviewed the situation in this joint interview.
From a circular food system in Rwanda to functioning cooled transports in Kenya: The lab of tomorrow addresses development challenges such as preventing food loss and waste
In Zambia, innovative approaches are used to address the problem of post-harvest losses in the groundnut value chain. GIZ's Rapid Loss Appraisal Tool (RLAT) can help to develop more such approaches.
Three quarters of the world's population do not have secure land rights, which hinders investment and innovation. The project "Improvement of Livelihood and Food Security" supports smallholder farmers in acquiring land.
The climate crisis fuels world hunger. What needs to change in the global fight against hunger, and which role plays humanitarian aid in international development cooperation?
In March 2022, the virtual conference ICTforAg summons leading actors in the agrartechnology and food sector from low- and middle-income countries to exchange ideas advancing resilience, nutrition and agriculture-led growth.
Climate change already affects the daily lives of people in the Global South. What are the challenges they face and what do these imply for negotiations at the climate conference in Glasgow?
In the run-up to the G7 summit, experts from politics and civil society discussed sustainable and more effective options for action by the G7 states to combat hunger.
Development cooperation needs to place good governance and a sustainable agri-food systems transformation at its center: After the first 100 days in office have passed, Dirk Meyer from the German Development Ministry (BMZ) spells out the goals, guidelines and priorities of the Ministry’s new lead.
When women have control over the resources of a household and manage the income, it usually leads to a more balanced and healthier diet for the family. But often the decision-making power lies with the men. How can this gender inequality be addressed? The GIZ global project Food Security and Resilience provides insights into project work on gender-transformative approaches finances by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Four interviews kick off the relaunch under the new name „Food4Transformation“, asking the same questions from different perspectives. Dirk Meyer, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, thinks: less individual solutions are needed, but more systemic approaches. Because in addition to the goals for food security, the issues of climate and biodiversity must also be taken into account.
A Contribution by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
At the network meeting "Partners for change - Transformation to a food secure, resilient and sustainable future", almost 250 participants from over 20 countries came together to exchange experiences and ideas on the transformation of agricultural and food systems. The final product, joint recommendations to transform agricultural and food systems, can now be read online.
Halfway through the 2030 Agenda, the BMZ invited participants to a network meeting entitled "Partners for change - Transformation to a food secure, resilient and sustainable future". Experts from around the world developed recommendations in a consultation process and then consolidated them in Berlin. A site visit.
A Contribution by Harry Hoffmann (TMG) & Nathalie Demel (WHH)
At the halfway mark of the 2030 Agenda and two years after the UN Food System Summit 2021, a stocktaking moment was held in Rome to analyze the progress of countries on the commitments to action in transforming food systems. Dr Harry Hoffmann, TMG Think Tank, and Nathalie Demel, Welthungerhilfe, were on site and take stock as well.
A contribution by the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development
Two years following the UN Food Systems Summit, the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development and the Shamba Centre for Food & Climate hosted an official side event at the UNFSS+2. The event explored how public donors can increase the impact of their investments.
It takes the joint efforts of diverse actors to achieve a transformative impact on the global food system. Barbara Rehbinder, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement (SUN), discusses four people-centred principles to get closer to this goal.
Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Podcast of the Federal Government
At the start of World Food Week around World Food Day on 16 October, Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that the fight against global hunger will only be successful with international responsibility and solidarity (german only).
The Agriculture and Food Security Cluster of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Zambia shows how synergies among different projects and partner organisations can help people to eat healthier, diversified food. A delegation of the Bonn based Division of Agriculture and Rural Development learned this in a field visit in the Eastern Province of the Southern African country.
In Himachal Pradesh, India, natural disasters are becoming more frequent and climatic conditions are changing – with negative consequences for apple production and farmers' livelihoods. Holistic and multidimensional innovation bundles are required for the entire value chain in order to make the food system more resilient in the future.
Stefan Liebing is chairman of the Africa Association of German Business. The manager calls for a better structure of African farms. Jan Rübel asked him about small farmers, the opportunities for German start-ups and a new fund.
A report by Bettina Rudloff and Annette Weber (SWP)
The Corona-Virus exacerbates existing crises through conflict, climate, hunger and locusts in East Africa and the Horn of Africa. What needs to be done in these regions? To face these challenges for many countries, all of these crises need to be captured in their regional context.
At the 8th German-African Agribusiness Forum (GAAF) representatives from business and politics discussed successful investment models to improve living conditions in Africa.
Based on a scientific study by TMG Think Tank, the authors highlight various challenges in the fight against the hunger crisis. The findings show that climate change, conflict and covid-19 are increasing food and energy prices.
The Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor 2022 (AATM) was published by IFPRI and AKADEMIYA2063. The report analyses the short- and long-term trends and drivers of African agricultural trade flows, including regional policies and the role of global markets.
Taking a look at the data (as of February 11th 2022) what the current price hike means for world hunger and what can be done to prevent from another food crisis.
A Contribution by Dr. Fatima Olanike Kareem and Dr. Olayinka Idowu Kareem
High agricultural prices affect developed and developing countries alike, but the problem is aggravated for the latter through the lack of or inadequate resilience measures. Dr. Fatima Olanike Kareem, AKADEMIYA2063, and Dr. Olayinka Idowu Kareem, University of Hohenheim, explain what can be done to mitigate the negative effects on food security.
With the annual topic "Earth’s well, all’s well!", Fairtrade Germany is focusing on the concept of agroecology at all levels - and is thus taking the next step towards achieving greater global sustainability. At the Green Week trade fair, Fairtrade Germany will show how this can be achieved taking the cocoa supply chain as an example.
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