(Thursday August 25th, 2016 Issue)
Guinea-Bissau,
the second largest producer of cashews on the continent, will this year host
the Africa Cashew Alliance (ACA) 10th Annual World Cashew Festival & Expo
2016.
This
was revealed by the Managing Director and CEO of African Cashew Alliance, Dr
Babafemi Oyewole, at a press conference held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel in
Senegambia on Tuesday 23 August 2016.
According
to him, the high-level convergence will run from 19 to 22 September 2016 in
Bissau at the Ledger Hotel and Conference Centre.
He
said the ACA conference is consistently the world’s largest cashew event,
bringing together a diverse array of cashew industry stakeholders from across
the globe.
The
event will bring together farmers, traders, processors, exporters, equipment
manufacturers, service providers, policy
makers, and government officials, to network and discuss the latest industry trends, developments, opportunities
and challenges.
Dr
Oyewole also stated that the World Cashew Festival and Expo 2016 will be held
in partnership with the government of Guinea-Bissau, the National Agency for
Cashew (ANCA) overseeing cashew-related policies in Guinea-Bissau, as well as a
World Bank project focusing on private sector rehabilitation in the cashew
industry.
He
added that the festival serves as a unique opportunity for African and
international stakeholders to converge and exchange ideas on the African cashew
industry, which is growing approximately 50 per cent of the world cashew
supply.
He
said Africa is the largest regional producer of cashew; therefore, a vital
importance to a healthy and productive global value chain.
The
conference theme is: “A Decade of Transformation”, and it will focus on major
developments in the cashew sector over the past ten years and the future
evolution of the industry.
The
ACA was formed in Guinea-Bissau in 2006, and will celebrate its 10th
anniversary during the conference to reflect upon the progress of the African
cashew industry, from training to processing to international trade and
competitiveness.
The
four-day programme will engage local and international stakeholders in the
industry that have contributed, and are committed to the success and challenges
within the past 10 years of the African cashew industry.
According
to ACA CEO, Guinea-Bissau is an ideal venue for the 10th anniversary of this
important global event.
Not
only was ACA formed out of the interest of international stakeholders 10 years
ago, but the country represents the tremendous potential for growth for the cashew
value chain in Africa, he stated.
Presently
Guinea-Bissau is the second largest producer of cashew on the continent, and in
2005, Guinea- Bissau produced approximately 200,000 metric tonnes of raw
cashews nuts, ranking as the fifth largest producer worldwide.
The
press conference was an opportunity for ACA to invite all the stakeholders in
the cashew industry internationally, particularly in Guinea-Bissau to
participate in this global event aimed at promoting the cashew value chain
worldwide.
Dr
Oyewole gave the background of the ACA, saying it was established in 2006 as an
association of African and international businesses devoted to promoting a
globally competitive African Cashew Alliance industry.
Currently,
more than 125 member companies work with the ACA banner and represent all
aspects of the cashew value chain, including producers, processors, traders,
exporters and buyers.
