Agriculture

Nigeria Sets To Host 16th Africa Cashew Alliance Conference

Published

3 years ago

May 23, 2022

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo CON, has said that Nigeria is set to host the upcoming 16th edition of the Africa Cashew Alliance Conference (ACA), Abuja from 12th to 16th September, 2022.

The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Sectary of the Ministry, Dr. Evelyn Ngige, during the inauguration of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), recently in Abuja, disclosed that the purpose of the conference is to have a sustainable African Cashew Industry for African Growth and Development, adding that “Africa Cashew Alliance was established in 2006 as an Association of African and International Businesses (AIB) with interest in promoting a global competitive cashew industry”.

The Minister further reiterated that ACA currently has about 130 members who represent all aspects of Cashew Value Chain Production with vision to achieve a sustainable African Cashew Industry that delivers the product globally.

‘’Cashew, as you know is an important commodity with high potential and prospect of providing and supporting the means of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of people across the globe, especially African producing Countries’’. Adebayo added.

He stressed that hosting the conference would enable Nigeria to be very active and supporting hundreds of thousands of Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) that includes; farmers, processors, logistics and suppliers, traders and exporters of the product in the Country.

The Minister urged the LOC to liaise and work closely with the Secretariat of the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) in the planning and implementation of various activities towards a successful hosting of the 16th ACA Conference.

In his response, the National President of National Cashew Association of Cashew of Nigeria (NCAN) and Co-Chairman of the LOC, Hon. Ojo Ajanaku stated that “it is a great privilege for us to be here at the inauguration of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the 16th ACA Annual Cashew Conference” adding that ” On behalf of the entire team, I expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Government through Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for pivotal role and support accorded us, the Africa Cashew Alliance from the unset where the decision to host the Conference in Nigeria taken, and to the National Cashew of Nigeria, we are grateful for standing by us as we together host this event”.

According to him the ACA annual Cashew Conference since the inception of the Alliance in 2006 has become the flagship event of the cashew industry in Africa and beyond stressing that for Fifteen (15) times, the ACA Conference has served as a unique opportunity for Africa and International stakeholders of the industry to converge and discuss challenges and opportunities, find solutions as well as renewing partnership toward building a sustainable cashew industry in the continent and beyond.

Earlier in his welcome address the Director, Commodities and Export Department and Co-Chairman, LOC Mr. Suleiman Audu stated that the Committee would assiduously work and collaborate with all relevant stakeholders in the Cashew Value Chain so as to repose the confidence given to it by the Minister.

Audu assured the Minister that the Committee would strictly be adhered to the Term of Reference (ToR) for the success of the upcoming 16th conference in Abuja.

It would be recalled that ACA conferences were held in Ghana, Tanzania

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Agriculture

IWMI: Promoting affordable irrigation technologies for smallholder farmers

Published

2 weeks ago

October 21, 2025

The Gleamer

Mariam Sanni

Smallholder farmers are challenged with erratic rainfall leading to drought spells, crop water stress and eventually reduced growth and yield penalties

Water insecurity is the major risk to smallholder farmers and a major driver for low investments in agricultural innovations

Even when water resources are sustainably available, smallholder farmers are unable to invest in irrigation equipment due to high upfront costs.

Smallholder farmers have limited access to loans and credit facilities even though irrigation usually is a profitable investment.

Promoting affordable irrigation for smallholders involves increasing access to low-cost technologies like drip and sprinkler kits and solar pumps, and supporting them with financial tools like subsidies and credit.

Also the Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID) has helped farmers to independently invest in, manage and maintain irrigation equipment, adapting technologies to local needs without relying on large-scale projects, reduces farmers’ reliance on erratic rainfall and leads to increased farm investments (good seed, fertilizers, etc.)

Farmers move from 1 rain-fed crop, to multiple harvests per year, boosting yields, income, and food security

Nigeria and other countries have high potential for solar-based irrigation, irrespective of the type of water resources.

As part of efforts to boost local capacity to produce and maintain simple, low-cost irrigation, International Water Management Institute, IWMI through multi- stakeholder dialogues, policy support is partnering with stakeholders created an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable irrigation development .

The Researcher , Agricultural Water Solution, IWMI Dr Adebayo Oke during his presentation at the International Conference on Climate Change and Just Energy Transition 2025, highlighted that the institute has foster SMEs’ inclusive scaling of bundled irrigation solutions through inclusive business model development and strategic partnerships

The Conference which was theme: Sustainable Clinate Resilience and Just Energy Transition in Africa: A Collaborative Pathway through Policy, Capacity Building, Research and Inclusion was held in Abuja.

He added that its has deployed an impact accelerator program to develop new bundled solutions and SME collaborations that address multiple value chains

According him, IWMI has attracted sustainable finance investments in SMEs to fast-track the adoption of bundled water solutions by smallholder farmers.

Speaking on experience in Nigeria: scaling solar irrigation solutions –Solar scaling pathway studies (Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi) has stratifying the smallholder farmers using the Discrete Choice Experiment.

He mentioned bundling of irrigation technology and financial services to determine scaling pathway/different financing models.

Dr Oke added they also developed a credit facility to enable the scaling of SPI.

Furthermore, he stated IWMI-West & Central Africa Priorities for 2024-2030 as building resilient agric food system against climate change , leveraging water for resilience in fragile and conflict affected settings, enabling circular water and food economy innovations, supporting water infrastructure and allocation decisions among others .

The Country Director , Ghana and Regional Representatives for West and Central Africa, Professor Kehinde Ogunjobi in an interview with newsmen at the event highlighted the importance of evidence-based data for farmers, aquaculture, and environmental ministries.

He said that there is need to raise awareness and emphasized the importance of government support for research and developmental projects on climate change and its impact on agriculture, livelihood, and other sectors.

Professor Ogunjobi has implored government to build capacity of people working in the field of climate change and capacitate farmers to turn evidence-based data into reality.

He encouraged the government to do more to support research and address the impact of climate change, which is more evident in the West African region compared to developed countries.

He urged stakeholders to collaborate with the government and institutions like IWMI Ghana to improve the impact of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts and improve the livelihood of people in the region.

He noted the political shift in the US, with the previous administration no longer supporting climate change initiatives, emphasizing the need for Africa to look inward.

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