2022 ACA Conference Program

Official Opening Ceremony of the 16th ACA Annual Cashew Conference & Welcome Cocktail

• Babatola Faseru, African Cashew Alliance Board President, Nigeria
• Prince Ojo Joseph Ajanaku, National Cashew Association of Nigeria President
• Kamaldeen Raji, AFEX, Nigeria
• Jasveer Singh, GDIZ | ARISE, Benin
• Vietnam Cashew Association (VINACAS)
• ECOWAS
• The High Commission, India
• German Embassy
• Representative of the US Embassy
• His Excellency Mbairobe Gabriel, Consultative International Cashew Council, Cameroon
• His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
• His Excellency Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo (CON), Federal Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment
• Special Guest of Honour, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Opening Plenary Session 1:

Strengthening Sustainable Kernel & By-Products Marketing in the African Cashew Industry

Moderator: Herman uit de Bosch, FairMatch Support, The Netherlands

Panel Members:

• Jim Fitzpatrick, Ingredient Sourcing Solutions, Ireland (Scene setter presentation)
• Nico Broerse, Sustainable Nuts Initiative, The Netherland
• Salma Seetaroo, Cashew Coast, Cote d’Ivoire
• Issa Konate, Olam Food Ingredients, Cote d’Ivoire
• Gonçalo Correia, Condor nuts, Mozambique
• Kamaldeen Raji , AFEX, Nigeria

Plenary Session 2:

Enabling Policy and Strategic Actions for an Efficient decommodification of African Cashew Kernels and By-Products

Moderator and opening presentation: Jim Fitzpatrick, Ingredient Sourcing Solutions, Ireland

Panel Members:

• Rita Weidinger, GIZ/MOVE, Ghana
• Alfred Francis, Cashewnut Board of Tanzania, Tanzania
• Hermann Abihona, Interprofession de la Filière Anacarde du Benin
• Hon. William Quaittoo, Tree Crop Development Authority, Ghana
• Adama Coulibaly, Conseil du Cotton et de l’Anacarde, Cote d’Ivoire
• Evelyn Ifeyinwa Obidike, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nigeria
• Andre Tandjekpon, Consultative International Cashew Council, Benin
• Debajyoti Bhattacharyya, AFEX, Nigeria

Plenary Session 3:

Kernels and By-Products Processing for a Sustainable Industry in Africa

Moderators: Valentin Atchaoué, Prosper Cashew, Cote d’Ivoire & Frederic Gnonlonfoun, BeninCaju, Benin

Panel Members:

• Aziz Sanogo, Foods' Co S.A., Cote d’Ivoire
• Ed Malvin Nii Smith, Winker Cashew, Ghana
• Alex Chulin, SG Agro, Cote d’Ivoire
• Jasveer Singh, Arise / GDIZ, Benin
• Massogbé Diabaté TOURE, SITA S.A., Cote d’Ivoire
• Anil Shukla, Valency International, Nigeria
• Daniel Gemana, Vertex Agro Ltd, Nigeria

Forum Session 1a:

Marketing Opportunities for Cashew Kernels and By-products.

Moderator: Valentin Atchaoué, Prosper Cashew, Cote d’Ivoire

Panel Members:

• Babatunde Odunuga, Abod Success Ltd, Nigeria
• Daniel Gemana, Vertex Agro Ltd, Nigeria
• Jubril Olawale OLAWUNMI, Jubi Cashew Spirit, Nigeria
• Crépin Arouna, 2LB, Benin
• Joey Liao, Meyer Technologies, China
• Srivastava Ganapathy- Eventel Global, India

Forum Session 2a: 

Production-Improving cashew research & development for a competitive RCN Production

Focus i: Cashew Genetics & Breeding

Moderator: Dr. Paul Adu-Gyamfi, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana

Panel Members:

• Dr. Dadili Majune-Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute, Tanzania
• Prof. Hubert Adoukonou-Sagbadja, University of AbomeyCalavi (UAC), Benin

Focus ii: Cashew Agronomy and Cropping 

Moderator: Prof. Peter Masawe, BeninCaju/TNS, Benin

Panel Members:

• Dr. Alfred Arthur – Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana
• Dr. Mariam Ouattara-Conseil du Cotton et de l’Anacarde, Cote d’Ivoire
• Mamadou Ndiaye, LIFFT Cashew Project , SeGaBi Region

Forum Session 1b:

Global Markets Encounter (GME) Live Sales & Marketing – the missing links in the African cashew revolution.

Facilitator: Jim Fitzpatrick, Ingredients Sourcing Solutions, Ireland

Production - Improving cashew Research & development for a competitive RCN production

Focus i: Cashew Pest & Disease; Contamination & Safety

Moderator: Prof. Mauricette N’goran, University of Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire

Panel Members:

• Dr. Solomon Agyare, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana
• Dr. Soro Sibirina - Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé, Côte d’Ivoire

Focus ii: Cashew quality and Post-harvest

Moderator: Seth Osei-Akoto – Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana

Panel Members:

• Akinni Raoul Akanro – Laboratoire de la Dynamique de Population et du Développement Durable, Benin
• Dr. Iyabode Kehinde Yisa, Asas de Socorro, Guinea Bissau
• Richard Igbinadolor, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Nigeria

Networking Lunch

Forum Session 3:

Access to finance: Blended Finance for catalyzing investment in under-served African cashew industry.

Moderator: Sarah El Ouadili, Prosper Cashew, Cote d’Ivoire

Panel Members:

• Simplice Chibo, Oiko Credit, Cote d’Ivoire
• Didier Tago, ABC Funds, Cote d’Ivoire
• Thierry Koffi, Initiative for Smallholder Finance, Cote d’Ivoire
• Deji Adebusoye, Sahel Capital, Nigeria
• Banjo Adegbohungbe, Coronation Bank Ltd, Nigeria

Forum Session 2c: Improving cashew research & development for a competitive RCN production

Focus i: climate adaptation and mitigation.

Moderator: Joy Heitlinger, GIZ/MOVE, Ghana

Panel Members:

• Ayena I. K. Jacques Botany and Plant Biology Laboratory, Benin.
• Amani Kouassi, Centre International pour la Recherche en Agroforesterie (ICRAF), Cote d’Ivoire.

Focus ii: Socio-economic Technology transfer and adoption

Moderator: Mohamed Salifou GIZ/MOVE, Ghana

Panel Members:

• Traore Myriam, le Réseau pour la Recherche et Développement sur l’Anacarde en Afrique (REDAA), Cote d’Ivoire.
• Kouami Ndjolosse

2022 ACA Conference Synthesis

Moderator: Ernest Mintah, MD African Cashew Alliance