Transforming the Cashew Value Chain

With financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), TechnoServe implemented the MozaCajú project from 2013 to 2018, supporting the Mozambican cashew nut industry by harnessing global market demand for premium cashew and addressing obstacles throughout the value chain, including in the areas of production, inputs, processing, finance and marketing.

MozaCajú’s broad range of activities included a grants fund to small and medium agribusinesses to encourage innovation and expansion in the cashew sector, hands-on technical assistance for factories to support batch processing and food safety standards, business advisory services to larger plantations, and “My Cashew Business” trainings for smaller farmers. These same farmers were exposed to new and improved agricultural practices, including the use of improved inputs.

As an important part of supporting sustained, quality cashew production, community nurseries and seed providers were established across the cashew production zones of the country. As detailed in the 2017 MozaCajú Impact Report, Mozambican cashew farmers who participated in the project experienced a 53 percent increase in cashew tree productivity and a corresponding 66 percent increase in income. Similarly, MozaCajú has seen a 55 percent increase in the exports of Mozambican processors who participated in the project, which has amounted to an additional $20 million of kernel sold in the international market and a 64 percent increase in revenue.

For more information about the Mozambican cashew industry and the MozaCajú project, please visit mozacaju.com.