AS Tanzania is endowed with large fertile land, chances are that in a matter of time, cashew production will revive its fame, lost way back in the 70s. During those days, cashew was one of the leading traditional cash crops - next to cotton, coffee and sisal. The country has a potential to increase production and processing capacity on grounds that farmers now enjoy attractive farm gate prices through Warehouse Receipting System (WRS), as well as market opportunities.The sub sector is one of the main contributors in export earning, ranking third after tobacco and coffee. This explains why the Tanzania Cashewnut Board (TCB) is making serious strides to ensure that investors, within and outside the country, are encouraged to embark on cashew growing to supplement small scale farmers operating countrywide, but more so in the southern regions of the country. At the centre of the struggle to step up production of the crop is the Naliendele Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) in Mtwara who, under the Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) project, have, for the last three years, been providing knowledge to farmers in Mkinga District in Tanga Region, on modern technology on cashew growing. "We are highly impressed by the level at which farmers in Mkinga have so far reached. They have shown that they understood, at a high degree, what they learnt from our experts through various seminars conducted by NARI," said Dr Shamte Shomari. Apparently, Dr Shomari, a Principal Researcher and plant pathologist at NARI, was in Mkinga District to access impact of education availed to the farmers in the district's villages. Accompanied by two other researchers - Dr Louis Kasuga, NARI's Principal Investigator and initiator of the project, Dr Ramadhani Bashiru - a horticulturist - the team visited old and new plantations as well as cashew nurseries. In every farm visited, Dr Shomari, a cashew management guru and seasoned researcher in cashew growing, explained the team's role as far as the two day tour was concerned. "Our roles are, among others, to teach farmers on how best to grow and take care of cashew trees. We are happy you are doing exactly what was expected at the initiation of the project,' remarked Dr Shomari. "The reason why we keep repeating what was already taught, is to make sure the knowledge go deeper in your heads so that you apply the same in your individual plots." He continued," You are now qualified instructors. What is required of you is to disseminate the knowledge to those who missed the opportunity so that they become experts in cashew growing like you." The researcher detailed the various benefits of cashew growing, saying there were plenty of market for the crop. "At the moment, let us use the Warehouse Receipting System (WRS), but in course of time, there will be need to do processing ourselves (farmers) in order to raise productivity," said the soft spoken Dr Shomari. On the tenure of the COSTECH project, he said, "The project is soon winding up - in three, four months to come. But do not loosen the grip, maintain the same tempo, because even after the phasing out of the project, we shall continue making constant follow-ups on your activities, to ensure sustainability of cashew development in the district." At Mwanyumba and Kwangena respectively Said Hamis and Amina Shauri requested to be given seminars on cashew processing since cultivation of the crop was now evidently attracting more farmers. "We need education on processing the crop. You have posted an extension officer here who will ensure that education on cashew growing is extended to our colleagues - those who missed it. What we now need is the technology so we can do it ourselves, instead of selling the crop raw," explained Saidi. In several plots visited by the team, owners of plots were evidently able to demonstrate various stages of growth of a cashew tree, including plant support by a peg to ensure the plant does not bend sideways, instead of aiming upwards - towards the atmosphere. They were also conversant with pruning - a process to remove unwanted tree branches. There are two types of seedlings. First, there are selected modern seeds from approved cashew trees. These are planted straight to gardens without need for grafting or top working. Then we have seedlings which farmers collect from nurseries free of charge. These are normally grafted before they are given to farmers. At a 10 acre-farm owned by Yohana Mtinda, cashew trees were grown along with pineapples. But the intercropping system did not seem to impress Dr Bushiri, one of the researchers who lectured that for steady growth of a cashew tree, other crops should be planted out of a tree's shade circumference. "If you plant other crops nearest the cashew trees, the two plants will scramble in grabbing nutrients - at the detriment of the tree's growth and productivity," he told the farmer. At Kwangena, a visit which marked the last leg of the expedition, a group of 20 women farmers who were watering their 10,000 plus tree seedlings, some of them already grafted, told Dr Shamte that their main worry was lack of knowledge on processing of the crop. The anxiety was removed by Nzaro Kijo, Mkinga District Cashew Coordinator who said the training was on the drawing board, assuring them that a session would be held before the project phased out its activities. "Keep up the same spirit. The project is winding up as I have just told you. But preparation of nurseries will go on as scheduled because farmers need the trees and they must have them," said Dr Shamte, assuring the farmers that the role of continuity of what they were doing would be taken care of by the Mkinga District Council. A farmer at Kwangena, Lucian Sambone was seen preparing his 8 acre farm ready for planting at the onset of the forthcoming rainy season. Apparently, Sambone was able to demonstrate the various steps a farmer is required to follow before planting - such as dimensions of a pit which he said should be 2 square feet, the distance between one seedling to another and proper mixing of original soil with compost manure.