The Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has boosted the processing of cashew fruits with an initiative dubbed the Maximizing Gains from Cashew Production for Youth Development Project (MA-Cash).
The aim of the M-Cash project is to promote research into efficient methods of processing the by-product of cashew and its consumer acceptability.
The 18-month project will be carried out in two regions, notably the Bono and Bono East regions of Ghana.
The CSIR will engage relevant stakeholders and partners to implement the project.
The relevant stakeholders and partners include six farmer groups, the Institute of Industrial Research and Opportunity International Savings and Loans Limited.
The MA-Cash project was launched at the Inception Workshop organized by the CSIR at their head office in Accra.
A report from the Bono Regional Ministry indicates that 900,000 metric tons of cashew fruits go to waste annually.
According to the regional ministry, the cashew fruits go to waste due to the absence of processing materials, a disjointed value chain, price fluctuations, and a poor farm management culture.
Professor Charls Tortoe, Director of CSIR, said the project, when implemented, would scale up cashew processing in Ghana.
He said the MA-Cash project would address the post-harvest losses of the cashew fruits and improve the processing of the fruits into other products, including juices, concentrates, and drinks.
“It may interest you to know that CSIR and the Food Research Institute’s (FRI) efforts to apply research findings to problems pertaining to cashew fruit waste, poverty alleviation, and youth-led sustainable economic growth have led to the development of the MA-Cash project.
We expect the project to reduce waste, enhance the quality of processed cashew fruits and by-products, and improve cashew yields through agrobiodiversity. We expect the project to increase income for youth groups who are successfully running their cashew businesses,” he said.
Dr. Emmanuel Kyereh, a food scientist at the Food Research Institute (FRI), said the MA-Cash project went beyond the processing of cashew fruits since it included other aspects, particularly youth support programs.
He said the project would play a major role in improving the economic prospects of the cashew fruits since the economic benefits of the nuts had been fully utilized and realized.
Mr. Francis Owusu Ansah, Chief Business Officer for Opportunity International Savings and Loans, said financial institutions have a major role to play in the implementation of the project.
He said the financial institution’s role was to address the financial aspect of the project by providing the required support to businesses within the cashew fruit value chain.