Knowledge Expansion and Skill-Building through the Master Training Program

ACA Project Coordinator, Miriam Gyamfi, gives presentation on the nutritional benefits of cashews (above)

In partnership with the African Cashew Initiative project, ACA organized and implemented a Master Training Program (MTP) for cashew sector stakeholders from seven West African countries throughout the last several months, reinforcing and expanding the knowledge of stakeholders in the value chain from producers to buyers, including both public and private service providers such as researchers, extension officers, NGOs, and others.

The goal of the MTP is to ensure that stakeholders can strengthen the entire cashew value chain in their respective countries by sharing expert knowledge of the bigger industry picture. In total, 65 participants were awarded with a certificate of participation in this Program, which is the first of its kind in the cashew sector in West Africa.  Equipped with new knowledge and revamped motivation, these “master trainers” will now serve as experts in their respective localities and create regional networks of expertise. 

The first MTP session took place in December 2013 in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, with a second session in Bouaké, Cote d’Ivoire, in April 2014, and a final session in July 2014 in Sunyani, Ghana.  This last session was attended by the Deputy General Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fishing of Benin and the General Secretary of the Minister of Trade and Industry of Ghana.

The most recent session was focused on sector organization, the economies of farming and processing, improvement of planting, and adoption of low-yield tree grafting. At this stage, participants had gained a deep awareness and understanding of the cashew value chain.  In addition to providing key assistance in organizing and facilitating the events to ensure its success, ACA specialists delivered lectures and seminars to participants which stimulated lively discussions.

Olivier Kabre, ACA’s MIS and Monitoring Officer, noted that many participants asked for a follow-up in their countries for sector organization, business advisory, market linkages, and market information data collection. “The MTP has paved the way for greater partnership advancement and collaboration within the sector, in all the countries involved,” observed Kabre.

ACA Business Advisor Sunil Dahiya presented an analysis of cashew processing business economics, sharing insights on business assumptions, timing, cost, pricing, investment calculations, and key decisions in cashew investment, with a view to improving sector-wide knowledge about the economics of cashew production and processing.

ACA Project Coordinator Miriam Gyamfi delivered a presentation entitled “Nutritional Value of Cashew” and fielded numerous questions regarding the elasticity of cashew prices and the influence of consumer preference. In a discussion of marketing and consumer preferences, she highlighted the fact that nutrition is an aspect of the industry that is often overlooked and undervalued in the production and marketing of cashews, and one which is likely to have a significant impact on consumption patterns in the future.

The following day, the MTP trainees embarked on a field trip to several successful cashew farms, gaining direct experience of good farming practices and successful commercial farm management.  One of the major benefits of an ongoing event such as the MTP is the opportunity for knowledge sharing among farmers and processors themselves, enabling region-wide sector improvements.

On the final day of the Program, ACA's Managing Director, Roger Brou, expressed his excitement and appreciation for the hard work of the trainees in a speech that closed out the training. 

Each participant received a certificate recognizing their accomplishments. A number of national-level training programs led by these new Master Trainers can be expected in the near future – look out for news of these events in forthcoming editions of this newsletter.