Mozambican Cashew Conference 2017
TechnoServe Mozambique and the Government of Mozambique’s National Cashew Institute (INCAJU) hosted a conference in Maputo, Mozambique in December 2017, with the theme “Inputs for Growth.” The conference brought together various actors from the Mozambican cashew industry, including representatives from processors, producers, input and financial service providers, NGOs, United Nations agencies, donors and the public sector. In total over 110 participants, including guests and panellists, came from more than 15 countries, including Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Benin, Zambia, Brazil, USA, Portugal, Ireland, Norway, Germany, The Netherlands, France, and Switzerland.
His Excellency José Pacheco, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, officially opened the conference, and Her Excellency Luísa Meque, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, closed the conference. The Director of INCAJU, Ilídio Bande and the Director of TechnoServe Mozambique, Jane Grob, made welcoming remarks. Michelle Calhoun from USDA and Jim Fitzpatrick, the keynote speaker from Ingredients Sourcing Solutions / The Cashew Club, spoke during the closing session.
The objectives of the conference were: 1.) To highlight the potential return from investment in the appropriate use of improved inputs in cashew; 2.) To emphasize the need for a strong commercial trade for inputs such as seeds, pesticides and fertilizers; and 3.) To highlight the successes, challenges and lessons learned in the implementation of the input-related activities in TechnoServe’s main initiative focused on cashew, the MozaCajú Project. Other issues addressed during the conference included: (a) Trends in world cashew production; and b) Urgent need for inputs, models and policies conducive to the development of the respective markets, including methods for their financing especially in the Mozambican context.
