African Cashew Alliance Conference 2026 opens in Accra with call for sustainable growth

The 2026 African Cashew Alliance (ACA) Annual Cashew Conference and Expo began in Accra on Tuesday, September 15, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. Hosted by Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), the four-day event is backed by the European Union, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, and the GIZ/MOVE Project. Key industry figures gathered to discuss sustainable growth, value addition, and innovation within the cashew sector across the continent.

Dr. Rich Kofi Kofituo, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of TCDA, emphasized the need to transition away from exporting raw cashew nuts to becoming a global hub for processing, value addition, and innovation. He stressed that Africa's dominant role in cashew production must be leveraged to drive economic growth and competitiveness. Dr. Kofituo called for enhanced collaboration among cashew-producing nations to tackle challenges like pests, diseases, climate change, and market transparency.

The European Union's Deputy Head of Mission, Magdalena Wüst, underscored the importance of public and private sector partnerships in achieving sustainable growth. She highlighted the continent's potential as the world's leading producer of raw cashew nuts and noted the necessity of policies, finance, technology, digital traceability, and climate resilience.

Wüst also pointed out the need to empower women and young entrepreneurs, who face barriers in accessing finance and markets but play crucial roles in the cashew value chain.