The Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, says transforming Ghana’s cashew industry requires collective action and stronger collaboration across the entire value chain.
He is speaking as a Guest Speaker and Panellist at the Association of Cashew Processors Ghana (ACPG) Roundtable Discussion conference in Accra. The conference is on the theme: “Building a Competitive and Sustainable Cashew Value Chain Together the Case of Ghana. “The high level roundtable brings together key actors in the cashew sector to deliberate on critical issues affecting the industry.
Present at the conference is the President of the Association of Cashew Processors Ghana, Mr. Antonio Manuel Caramelo Raposo, alongside key stakeholders, development partners, association heads and representatives of government agencies.
The discussions focus on pressing challenges and opportunities within Ghana’s cashew value chain, including raw material supply, regulation, quality standards, financing, technology adoption and market access.
In his remarks, Dr. Osei Okrah notes that Ghana’s cashew sector holds enormous potential for economic transformation, but that potential can only be realized through a coordinated and inclusive approach. He stresses that no single actor can drive the transformation alone.
‘’Every stakeholder has a distinct and critical role to play in building a competitive and sustainable industry. I calls on processors to invest more in technology, efficiency and innovation to increase their processing capacity and add more value locally.’’
Dr. Okrah
A Call for Improved Productivity and Tailored Financing
He says farmers must also commit to improving productivity and quality at the farm level to ensure a consistent supply of high grade raw cashew nuts for local processing. He further urges financial institutions to provide appropriate and affordable financing tailored to the needs of actors along the cashew value chain.
He adds that development partners have a key role in helping to de-risk investments and providing technical support to strengthen the ecosystem.Dr. Osei Okrah reaffirms the Tree Crops Development Authority’s commitment to providing the policy, regulatory and institutional leadership needed to streamline the sector.
‘’TCDA is working closely with the Association of Cashew Processors Ghana and other stakeholders to address bottlenecks that continue to hinder growth in the cashew value chain.’’
Dr. Okrah
He explains that the Authority is focused on enforcing regulations, improving coordination, and ensuring that Ghana derives maximum benefit from its cashew resources.
He notes that the objective is to build a competitive, sustainable and value-driven Ghanaian cashew-processing industry that creates jobs and improves livelihoods. He says this vision aligns directly with the vision of President H.E. John Dramani Mahama’s Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA).
The AETA, he explains, prioritizes stronger regulation, increased value addition and improved livelihoods for farmers and other actors in the agricultural value chained.
Osei Okrah says under AETA, tree crops including cashew are identified as strategic crops capable of driving industrialization, export growth and rural economic development.
TCDA Pushes for Local Processing Over Raw Exports
He indicates that TCDA is therefore positioning itself to ensure that policy interventions support increased local processing rather than the continued export of raw cashew nuts. Participants at the roundtable welcome his remarks and share insights on the challenges facing processors.
They point to issues such as limited access to raw materials during peak seasons, difficulties in accessing finance, high cost of technology, and competition from foreign buyers of raw cashew nuts.
They also raise concerns about quality standards and the need for stronger enforcement to ensure Ghana’s cashew meets international market requirements.
The President of ACPG, Mr. Antonio Manuel Caramelo Raposo, commends TCDA for its leadership and says the association is committed to working with the Authority to promote local processing. He says building a competitive value chain requires trust, transparency and sustained dialogue among all stakeholders.
Development partners present at the meeting also pledge their support for initiatives that promote value addition and sustainability in the cashew sector. The roundtable ends with a renewed commitment from stakeholders to deepen collaboration and work together to address structural challenges in the industry.
Stakeholders agree that with effective regulation, targeted investment and strong partnerships, Ghana can become a leading hub for cashew processing in Africa. For TCDA, the engagement forms part of its broader stakeholder engagement drive to ensure inclusive policy formulation and effective implementation of its mandate to regulate and develop tree crops in Ghana.
Dr. Osei Okrah reiterates that TCDA remains open to partnerships and constructive engagements that advance the growth of the cashew industry and the welfare of farmers and processors.
