Innovating the Cashew Value Chain in Tanzania

Tanzania is among the world’s largest producers of raw cashew nuts and accounts for 75% of the total production in East Africa.

Unfortunately, the smallholder cashew farmers do not get a fair share of the profit when selling the raw cashew nuts for processing. In fact, 80% of the cashew nuts are exported for processing in Vietnam and India. Even the 20% processed in Tanzania tend to be sourced from farmers at unfair prices. In addition, the farmers often sell the raw cashew nuts through a network of middlemen, including through illegal crossborder trade with Kenya.

Together with the Duga-AMCOS farmer cooperative, this project is changing this. They do so by helping farmers change to organic farming which offers a higher premium from our commercial partner, Biotan Ltd, who processes the nuts in Dar Es Salam; by innovating new products from the 80% of the cashew fruit that is otherwise wasted (f.ex cashew juice, jam and milk); and finally, by supporting farmers in increasing yields from the non-cashew crops on their farms and making their farming practices more climate resilient.

The project contributes to SDG 8 by creating green jobs in Mkinga District in northern Tanzania where farmers are now enjoying a fairer price through organic farming and circular production, while improving their livelihoods through more efficient, climate resilient farming.