Guinea Gears up for Cashew
Guinean Cashew Alliance Launched
Guinean cashew farmers, processors and traders have joined forces to develop the potential of the cashew industry for the country’s economy. On February 25, 2013, the Guinean Cashew Alliance (l'Alliance Guinéenne de l'Anacarde) was launched in Conakry at an event attended by more than 50 participants from industry and government. With a growing production and processing industry, cashew contributes to the incomes of 50,000-80,000 people in rural Guinea.
AGA Executive Secretary Keita Sidikiba, ACA MD Christian Dahm, and AGA President after the MOU signing.
Their income could be significantly improved by promoting good agricultural practices, harvest and post-harvest handling to improve the poor quality of the crop. Furthermore, local processing of cashew could create thousands of jobs in rural communities. Christian Dahm, Managing Director and William Larbi, Partnership Officer traveled to Conakry with USAID-BEAM support and at the invitation of the newly launched Guinean Cashew Alliance (AGA). While at the launch event, Dahm and Larbi presented the international cashew market, its potential in Guinea and policy options for supporting the sector. ACA and AGA signed an MOU establishing a partnership agreement that reinforces cooperation and collaboration between the two organizations.
First Guinean Cashew Processor Signs up for the ACA Seal Program after Initiating Guinean Cashew Exports to US
"The work that still needs to be done is less than what we have accomplished already, I am certain we will reach the next level," said El Hadji Mamadou Bary of SOPELGUI, after he signed up his company for the ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal Program.
SOPELGUI is Guinea’s first cashew processor. The Indian-Guinean joint venture began operating in 2012 and has since exported the first cashew kernels from Guinea, most of which to an ACA founding member based in the US.
After discussions with ACA Quality and Food Safety Expert Jim Giles and a visit by MD Christian Dahm and William Larbi in February 2013, SOPELGUI decided to implement the ACA Seal program. The facility is the most recent to commit to the ACA Seal, enrolling in a program that now includes two approved and seven implementing companies in East and West Africa.
SOPELGUI was also featured on the evening national news program in Guinea, in a segment highlighting the facility and the potential of cashew processing for the Guinean economy. A team of journalists interviewed Guinean Cashew Alliance Executive Secretary Keita Sidibe and Dahm for the piece.
