Registration Opens for The Future is Now: The 7th ACA Annual Conference

ACA has announced that registration is now online for the 7^th ACA Annual Conference and World Cashew Expo 12, themed “The Future is Now!”  The event will be held in Palais de Congrès in Cotonou, Benin from 17 to 20 September, 2012.

360 stakeholders attend the plenary session at last year's ACA Annual Conference The ACA Conference is now the world’s largest annual cashew event. Last year’s conference in Banjul, The Gambia attracted 360 cashew industry stakeholders from 35 countries around the globe. This year, over 400 international cashew farmers, processors, traders, exporters, service providers, retailers, equipment manufacturers, bankers, and government agencies are expected to join ACA in Benin. “The ACA Annual Conference is something we put on our agenda every year. It now attracts members from other origins, so when I’m there I can meet with ten or fifteen major suppliers of cashew around the world, saving me time and effort. As a buyer, you want to be able to come to one place, hold a lot of business meetings and also felt like you have had an opportunity to learn something. That is exactly what this conference offers,” said a major cashew buyer at the 6^th ACA Annual Conference in Banjul.

The four day program will offer plenty of opportunities to learn about the latest trends in the world cashew industry, exchange experiences with other stakeholders, and establish lasting business relationships. The plenary session will feature presentations and speeches by experts on pertinent topics ranging from investment schemes in the African cashew industry to new possibilities in cashew by-product processing to the potential effect of climate change on cashew production in Africa.  A World Cashew Forum includes thematic workshops, demonstrations, and interactive presentations on farming practices, processing techniques, market strategies, and financing options. More than 500 Business2Business meetings between specifically matched partners are expected to be held. Finally, field trips will allow delegates to explore the potential of the Beninese cashew industry first hand, or to learn more about Benin’s culture during a leisure trip.

Visitors to the World Cashew Expo have the opportunity to meet with a variety of equipment manufacturers The World Cashew Expo12 will be held alongside the conference. This exhibition will feature equipment manufacturers, national cashew associations, and input and service providers from all around the world. This enables participants to access all they need to grow their cashew business in one convenient location.  Describing last year’s inaugural exhibition, a cashew processor from Benin said, “I attend the conference to learn about new trends and technologies. At the World Cashew Expo I found new equipment and other solutions for the future of my company.”

ACA has made available special early bird rates for those registering before June 15. The ACA Annual Conference also offers significant promotional opportunities, including a range of sponsorship options and the possibility to exhibit in a booth at the World Cashew Expo12. Interested parties should contact aca@africancashewalliance.com for more information.