Year in Review – Highlights of 2012
The past year was filled with so many huge moments for ACA, it was hard to pick our favorites! Here’s a selection of some of our most important achievements and milestones from 2012.
February ACA founding member Olam International opens a processing plant in Cote d’Ivoire with a capacity of 30,000 MT, making it the largest facility of its kind in Africa. The opening was attended by Cote d’Ivoire’s president, Alassane Outtara.
March ACA Facilitates US$2 Million in financing for 3 Nigerian processors in partnership with Ecobank and Nexim.
April New Website Launch: In April, ACA launched its new website, along with a Market Information System and exclusive members-only content.
May ACA Seal Approval Awarded to First Cashew Processing Factory. After ACA approved Tolaro Global for the ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal, 5 more processors have signed on for the program.
June: Red River joins Advisory Board: One of the world’s largest cashew buyers becomes an influential member of the ACA governing body providing strategic advice to the Executive Committee and Secretariat .
July EBID Investment: ACA and USAID-West Africa Trade Hub Collaboration Results in US$2.4 million for Cajou Espoir, a Togolese Processor. This was the first loan granted by EBID resulting from an MOU signed between the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), the USAID West Africa Trade Hub, and EBID in 2011. The MOU aimed to address one of the most substantial barriers to development in the cashew industry – access to finance.
August Regional Platform in East Africa : ACA facilitated and MOU signing among the Nut Processors Association of Kenya (NutPAK), Cashewnut Board of Tanzania, and AICAJU of Mozambique. The groundbreaking platform, which set up a cooperation framework to promote cashew business in the region, is the first of its kind for ACA.
September 7th ACA Annual Conference – the World’s biggest cashew event with 522 participants, 90 speakers, and representatives from 36 countries.
October ACA Member West Africa Markets Link wins Ghana Export Promotion Authority Achievement Award.
November ACA Partners with UNIDO’s 3ADI program to support the Tanzanian cashew value chain promotion and small scale industrialization development
December Mim Cashew of Ghana is the second company to be approved under the ACA Seal. ACA Seal program launch in East Africa - Mr. Edgar Maokola-Majogo, CEO of Southern Jumbo and the ACA Vice President, has joined the ACA Quality and Sustainability Seal initiative.
