The Competitive Cashew initiative (ComCashew) will hold the 2nd session of the 3rd edition of the Master Training Program for cashew value chain promotion from August 8-12 in Sunyani. 

ComCashew is undertaking the program together with the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), with support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the Cocoa Research Institute Ghana (CRIG). 

The program provides a platform for about 70 cashew experts coming from Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Gambia, Tchad, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Mali, Togo and Nigeria to share knowledge, discuss best practices and experiences as well as to build national and regional networks for future collaboration.

During knowledge sharing sessions of theories and their application, participants are taught about all aspects of the cashew value chain from production and processing of raw cashew nuts, to economics, cashew market dynamics, marketing and financing mechanisms.

Facilitators and technical experts teach, evaluate and re-design each training session according to participants’ needs.

Also, the session will cover the main steps of Good Improved Planting Material development and the importance of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in cashew production.

Participants will be introduced to Monitoring and Evaluation and Leadership and Communication.

Lined up for each session is a cocktail of topics on self-reflection and perception management and training participants on behaviors and values that affect learning and teaching skills.

The highlight of this session will be a field visit to the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) research station and farm visits in the cashew production area around Sunyani.

The first session, held in Ho, Volta region in May 2016 covered the cashew value chain concept, the dynamics of the cashew market and training material development.

The highlight was a visit to a cashew processing factory USIBRAS, in Prampram.

All sessions encompassed cross-cutting issues such as gender, policy development, sector regulations and nutrition value of cashew products.