CASHEW DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF FAO IN THE WORLD

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 108: International Cashew Symposium

CASHEW DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF FAO IN THE WORLD

Authors:

F. FALZETTI, J.C. FAURE

Abstract:
This title would suggest that FAO has a world approach to the development of Cashew Production, Processing and Marketing and would plan its intervention according to an objective of so many hectares planted or so many tons of cashew nut produced in the next 5 or 10 years. This is not the case. Our activities are initiated by the requests received from Governments of developing countries interested in promoting a national cashew nut development scheme or more simply in improving yield recovery from existing processing plants.

The last 10 years have seen many countries becoming interested in developing a cashew programme from the already existing few hectares and small plots around villages. FAO was ready to help, since there are many reasons that speak in favour of this crop, such as:

Marginal lands which are unsuitable for other crops can be utilized for cashew
It can be grown in small plots by farmers and with simple but regular plant protection measures its yield increases well above 10 kg per tree
It provides cash to the farmer, thus improving rural income
Processing of cashew in the country provides employment and foreign exchange

Requests received from and assistance provided by FAO since 1979 covers particularly in West Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo, Cameroun, Nigeria and in East Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia. In Asia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and in Latin America, El Salvador and Colombia have asked for FAO assistance. Feasibility studies have been prepared for all countries of West Africa interested in cashew in the last 10 years, with sometimes a follow-up as in Benin, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast where processing plants have been installed.

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