The leadership of Cashew Watch Ghana (CWG) has paid a courtesy call on Dr Andy Osei Okrah, Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA), in Accra to discuss ways to advance the growth of Ghana’s cashew industry.
Cashew Watch Ghana is a civil society organisation that advocates policies and initiatives aimed at promoting the development of the country’s cashew sector.
A statement issued and signed by Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, National Coordinator of CWG, said discussions during the meeting focused largely on exploring opportunities for collaboration and promoting the sustainable development of the cashew value chain.
The statement noted that strengthening collaboration with the Tree Crop Development Authority was crucial for advancing key priorities within the cashew industry, including improving productivity, supporting smallholder farmers, expanding market access and deepening policy advocacy to drive sector growth.
It explained that such partnerships would also help amplify the voices of cashew farmers and other stakeholders while supporting government efforts to position the tree crops sector as a major driver of Ghana’s agricultural transformation and economic diversification.
According to the statement, Cashew Watch Ghana remained committed to working closely with the Authority through joint advocacy initiatives, farmer capacity-building programmes, policy dialogue and stakeholder engagement activities.
These efforts, it said, would ensure that the cashew industry improves livelihoods for farmers and contributes significantly to national development.
Under the proposed collaboration, TCDA and CWG will educate key actors across the value chain, including farmers, aggregators, processors and exporters, on issues such as pricing systems, improved production practices, value addition, job creation and trade regulations.
The statement also called on the Tree Crop Development Authority to remain committed to implementing policies and strategies aimed at transforming the cashew sector.
It emphasised that the cashew industry remained a critical source of livelihood for thousands of rural households across the country.
According to CWG, cashew farmers are looking forward to meaningful reforms that will improve incomes and strengthen the industry.
The statement noted that the global cashew market value was projected to increase from an estimated seven billion dollars currently to about ten billion dollars by the year 2030.
It added that Ghana could generate significantly higher foreign exchange earnings from cashew if greater attention was given to the sector and the necessary measures were put in place to increase productivity.
The statement quoted Dr Okrah as commending the advocacy work of Cashew Watch Ghana and other civil society organisations supporting the development of the tree crops sector.
He emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to develop Ghana’s non-traditional export commodities, increase foreign exchange earnings and create more employment opportunities.
Dr Okrah, however, stated that creating a separate institution outside the Tree Crop Development Authority would not necessarily resolve the challenges confronting the cashew industry.
He noted that many proposals made by cashew farmers had already been captured in the Tree Crops Development Authority Act.
According to him, the key priority now should be the effective implementation of those provisions rather than the creation of a separate board.
Dr Okrah therefore urged farmers to exercise restraint as the government, through the Authority, continues to implement measures to strengthen the industry.
Some of the measures include the distribution of free improved cashew seedlings to boost production as well as the provision of farm tools and equipment, including chainsaw machines used for pruning to improve farm management and productivity.
The Tree Crops Development Authority was established under the Tree Crops Development Authority Act, 2019 (Act 1010) to regulate and promote the production, processing and trade of six major tree crops. These are cashew, shea, mango, coconut, rubber and oil palm.
The initiative forms part of Ghana’s broader strategy to diversify agricultural exports and reduce reliance on traditional export commodities.
Over the years, cashew has emerged as one of Ghana’s most important non-traditional export crops, supporting the livelihoods of thousands of smallholder farmers, particularly in the Bono, Bono East, Northern and Savannah Regions.
The crop is widely seen as a major opportunity for job creation through local processing and value addition.
However, the establishment of a regulatory board dedicated to the cashew sector remains a key concern for farmers, especially in the Bono Region.
