Year: 2013 - 2016
Donor: COOPI
Cashew Cultivation:
1. Recruitment and contract process of project team
2. Data survey for the validation of farmers Associations and the selection of the target plantations (new and to maintain)
3. Development of the project working plan and M&E plan including the group monitoring tools
4. Establishment of project district steering committee
5. Development of communication strategy
Activities related to results:
1.1 Analysis of cashew agricultural production and existing production chain of cashew nuts and link to neighbouring countries;
1.2 Creation of Agro Ecological Zoning (AEZ) with specific soil analysis;
1.3 Create ex-situ collection of cashew plant in a conservation orchard in UNIMAK;
1.4 Support structuring of farmer associations/cooperatives;
1.5 Developing FFS modules for high yielding cashew production;
1.6 Training of trainers (selected farmers at NaFFSL), MAFFS extension officers in improved cashew sustainable production chain;
1.7 3000 ha of new plantation;
1.8 Feasibility study for the maintenance and/or Replanting of 2000ha of existing cashew plantations;
1.9 Network of extension services MAFFS extension officers, University of Makeni and farmers;
1.10 Develop Agro-ecological approach to reach a biodiversity-based cashew farming system.
2.1 Support for appropriate storage of cashew to be processed;
2.2 Development of manual (in Krio) about household processing as an income generating enterprise;
2.3 Selecting 400 women and organizing in processing cooperative and training them in cashew processing and small business skills;
2.4 Developing small business and marketing plan with each woman cooperative.
3.1. Analysis of local market (Sierra Leone and ECOWAS) cashew and scenario analysis;
3.2 Support farmers associations in market analysis (local and regional) and development of business plans and marketing strategy;
3.3 Support operational capacities of farmers associations and put in place the basis for a cooperative;
3.4 Support the process of establishment of a quality control for organic certification.