We are gathered here today to announce an exciting and significant event that will take place in Ghana in respect of the Tree Crop Development Agenda set by an Act of Parliament TCDA ACT 2019 ACT 1010.
Our beautiful nation has been entrusted with the honor of hosting the Sixth Council of Ministers’ Conference of the Consultative International Cashew Council (CICC), alongside the Cashew Research Dialogue, Cashew Fair, and Exhibition in Accra.
This prestigious event will occur from the 16th to 20th of April 2024. Brief History of the CICCThe CICC, an international and intergovernmental organization, was established in 2016 to promote, advocate, share knowledge, innovate, and provide platforms for discussions on issues related to the cashew value chain.
With 11 member countries, the CICC aims to support the development of the cashew sector and contribute to the economic and social growth of its member states. It is created on the sidelines of the 6th edition of the International Exhibition of Cashew Processing Equipment and Technology (SIETTA).
By adopting the convention creating the CICC, the signatory countries of the constitutive act confirm the strategic nature of cashew as a lever for agricultural, economic, and social development of producing and consuming countries.
The Organization aims to provide a framework for consultation and to promote the development of the cashew sector in the Member States through the coordination of policies and cooperation between States.
To date, eleven countries are members of the CICC, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. It has international legal capacity and financial autonomy.
The CICC headquartered in Abidjan is made up of two permanent bodies and three non-permanent technical bodies.
The permanent bodies are the Council of Ministers (CM) and the Executive Secretariat (ES). The CM is made up of the Ministers in charge of agriculture and trade/industry of the member states.
It represents the supreme decision-making body. The Executive Secretariat plays the role of operational body for implementing the vision, strategy, plans and activities of the institution.
As such, it has four technical and administrative departments, namely: a) Economic and statistical studies (2ES), b) Research and industrial development (R&DI), c) Cooperation, Organization and Strategic Partnerships (COPS) and d) Administration and Finance (AF).
Vision and Mission of the CICCThe vision of CICC is to serve the community of member countries through promotion, advocacy, knowledge sharing, innovation, partnership and provide platforms for discussion on issues of global importance of cashew value chains .
The CICC is based on five (05) pillars of intervention to support Member States in their decision-making including;• Build an influential and dynamic organization for advocacy and lobbying for change in the cashew sector;
• Promote cooperation and consultation between Member States, stakeholders and partners for structuring investments in the sector, synergy of actions and industrial development of cashew;
• Coordinate and initiate policies and strategies for the sustainable promotion of the cashew sector with more added value in producing countries;
• Produce and disseminate strategic decision-making data and information for Member States;
• Strengthen the capacities of public and private actors in Member States with the mobilization of technical and financial partners as well as the coordination of their interventions. Main Event Ghana’s hosting of the 6th Council of Ministers’ Conference is a testament to our commitment to the cashew sector’s development and our desire to showcase the potential of this industry. This event will provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the progress made in our cashew sector so far and attract potential investors to the industry. Moreover, Ghana is being considered to host the research and training center for member countries in Africa, with the Wenchi Agriculture Station being identified for upgrade into a research and training center for Africa.
The Cashew Research Dialogue, scheduled for the 14th to the 17th of April 2024, will bring together Ministers, experts, and researchers from member countries to share knowledge, discuss achievements, and identify gaps in research and development within the cashew industry.
The event will also facilitate cross-learning and sharing of experiences among the scientific community, ultimately informing policy decisions and investment needs in the sector.
Meanwhile, the Cashew Expo and Exhibition, held under the theme “Projecting the Cashew Sector through Local Consumption, Value Addition, and Job Creation,” will showcase various cashew (Raw & Residual) products, educate the public on their benefits, and expose local cashew processors to potential markets.
This event will increase the consumption rate of cashew products and create visibility for small and medium-sized cashew processors.By hosting these events, Ghana stands to gain significantly.
We will have the opportunity to showcase our progress and potential in the cashew sector, attract more foreign direct investment and further develop the industry. Moreover, the awareness and visibility created during these events will lead to increased production, development, processing, exports and consumption of cashew products, benefiting both producers and consumers.
In conclusion, the Sixth Council of Ministers’ Conference of the CICC, alongside the Cashew Research Dialogue, Cashew Fair, and Exhibition, will be remarkable events that will showcase Ghana as the preferred destination for the production, trading, and exports of Anacardium Occidentale (Biological name of cashew).
Thank you very much and we are anticipating the full participation of all stakeholders in the cashew value chain (producers, aggregators, traders, processors and exporters) as well as well-meaning citizens to this all-important cashew conference.
