Cashew farmers in the Bono Region have formed a cooperative to build a united front that promotes their collective interests and strengthens advocacy in the cashew value chain.
Cashew production remains a vital source of livelihood for thousands of smallholder farmers in the region, However, many , particularly women and youth continue to be sidelined in decision-making processes that affect their economic wellbeing.
The Bono Regional Cashew Farmers’ Cooperative formation seeks to address this gap by giving farmers a stronger voice and improved representation. The cooperative brings together farmers from four major cashew-producing district – Tain, Banda, Jaman South and Jaman North. Later, the cooperative will be opened-up to more farmers in other districts of Bono Region.
It forms part of a one-year project titled ‘Amplifying the Voices of Cashew Farmers’ being implemented by Cashew Watch Ghana, a civil society organisation, with funding support from the STAR-Ghana Foundation.
The project aims to empower cashew farmers through awareness-creation, cooperative formation and advocacy training to enable them effectively engage policymakers and market actors. About 1,000 farmers, including women and youth, are expected to benefit from the initiative.
This effort builds on the project’s success in its first phase, which mobilised farmers, enhanced their advocacy skills and created platforms for dialogue with key stakeholders in the cashew value chain.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony at Nsawkaw in Tain district, Bono Regional Director of Cooperatives Francisca Adorkor-Khein described the initiative as a major step toward unity, empowerment and sustainability in the cashew sector.
“By coming together under a shared vision, you are demonstrating the true spirit of cooperation and laying the foundation for stronger market access, collective bargaining power and improved livelihoods for your members,” she said.
She commended Cashew Watch Ghana for its continued leadership in promoting farmer empowerment, particularly in building the leadership, advocacy and negotiation capacities of cashew farmers – skills she said are crucial in today’s competitive agribusiness landscape.
Mrs. Adorkor-Khein further assured the Department of Cooperatives’ commitment in providing ongoing technical and policy support to ensure the cooperative’ sustainability.
The National Convener of Cashew Watch Ghana, Raphael Godlove Ahenu, expressed concern over the poor state of road networks in cashew-producing areas – particularly across the Bono and Bono East Regions. He warned that the situation hampers efficient transportation of raw cashew nuts and could undermine sector growth.
He therefore urged government to prioritise the rehabilitation of roads in cashew-growing areas as a key incentive to boost production and enhance value chain efficiency.
The Interim Chairman-Bono Cashew Farmers’ Cooperative, Daniel Munufie, also highlighted challenges such as limited access to finance for farm maintenance and pricing manipulation by aggregators, which he said continues to affect farmers’ profitability.
He expressed optimism that the newly formed cooperative will help address these systemic challenges through collective action and stronger advocacy for fair market practices.
Source : bftonline.com
