<p></p><p>The International Relief and Development (IRD) on Wednesday held its annual Cashew Pre-marketing Season Consultative forum, at the Baobab Holiday Resort. The $8 million Senegambia Cashew Value Chain Enhancement Project phase 2 (CEP 2), which is funded by the US Department of Agriculture Programme, is managed by the International Relief Development (IRD) that seeks to improve agricultural productivity, by identifying and promoting best farming practices, including the use of improved cashew varieties, improving raw cashew nut production, strengthening business and fostering marketing skills, among others.</p> <p>It is aimed at facilitating consultation between and among key stakeholders of the cashew value-chain, review and assess the performance of the 2013 cashew marketing season, in order to identify key successes and challenges, assess the outlook for the 2014 marketing season, among others. Speaking at the forum, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Aba Sankareh expressed delight for, being part of another milestone in the cashew production business. </p><p>According to him, cashew is among the important commodities in The Gambia, especially during the past years. While describing the gathering as important, he said, it creates an avenue for actors in the cashew field to know their achievements and thematic areas. </p><p>This, according to Sankareh, will bring more development in The Gambia. He thus assured that, his Ministry’s doors are always open as they are always ready to help.</p> <p>The US Embassy’s Charge d' Affaires in The Gambia, Michael R, Arietti thanked the government of The Gambia and the collaborating Ministries of Agriculture, Forestry and Trade for creating the enabling environment to support the continued growth of the cashew value-chain in The Gambia. He spoke about the progress of the US Department of Agriculture's successful cashew project, covering 2013-2015. He further attested the effectiveness of the project, as it improves the economic benefits of the cashew value-chain for a total of 20,000 small-scale farmers and 300 small-scale processors in both Senegal and The Gambia. </p><p>The US Embassy Charge d' Affaires in The Gambia added that the total of The Gambia’s portion comprises $2 million, benefiting 6,000 small-scale farmers and 100 small-scale processors. He revealed that, IRD started the phase 1 project in 2009, focusing its intervention in selected regions of The Gambia, Senegal and Guinea Bissau. Arietti said in The Gambia, about 3,000 cashew farmers and processors benefited from the first phase of the project, which ran through 2012, while Gambian farmers benefited mainly from the training. </p><p>The training, according to him, targeted largely the,s North Bank and West Coast Regions, through the collaboration of four farmers associations. He noted that the IRD farm level training emphasised the production of quality of raw cashew nuts and the promotion of entrepreneurial spirit in cashew farming.</p> <p>In highlighting IRD’s achievements over the day, Arietti stated that the IRD were awarded a second phase of the programme, which run for three years from 2013-2015. In the second phase, IRD will maintain its focus on the cashew value-chain, while seeking to build on the achievements made in the first phase and to also expand their activity focus “The CEP 2 now intervenes in the Lower River Region, in addition to the West Coast and North Bank Region,” Arietti informed the gathering. He further stated that the forum will be evident that all the stakeholders in the cashew value-chain have an important role to play, saying there is a need for genuine and honest collaboration between the various actors in the chain. </p><p>The US Embassy Charge d' Affaires in The Gambia challenged everyone to support, in order to grow, so as to strengthen the entire value-chain and increase The Gambia's national competitiveness. On his part, the president of the Cashew Alliance of the Gambia (CAG), who also doubles as the managing director of the Gambia Horticultural Enterprise (GHE), Momodou A. Ceesay disclosed the resounding success from the phase 2 project, as according to him, it contributed immensely to the rapid development of the cashew sector in The Gambia. </p><p>The pre-season marketing forum, he said, has been very useful in facilitating the networking of all cashew stakeholders in The Gambia. “It also has the effect of promoting better understanding of the forthcoming cashew marketing campaign and allowing all stakeholders to be better informed in advance of the season’s opportunities and challenges,” he affirmed. “It was registered as a non-profitable organisation in 2010 as the apex body for the cashew industry and to further the interest of the cashew sector in The Gambia,” he added. </p><p>The goal of CAG, he added, is to establish a viable sustainable cashew sector, improving productivity and quality of the cashew nuts, creating jobs, increasing income and contributing to socio-economic development of The Gambia. Other speakers included Bai Jobe, the permanent secretary of MOTIE and Joame Yeager Sallah, the IRD country director. </p><p> </p><br><p></p>