Cashew Board Risks Duplication, Not Innovation: Industry Leader Warns Against Overlap with TCDA

Plans to establish a Cashew Development Board could duplicate the mandate of the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Savannah & Sahel Commodities Ltd Mr. Senyo Kpelly has warned.

While the proposed board aims to boost local processing, pricing, and market access, Mr  Kpelly argued that existing structures should be strengthened rather than sidelined.

In an interview with The High Street Journal, Mr. Kpelly said, “setting up another cashew board might lead to institutional overlap and inefficiencies. What we need is a well-coordinated structure under the TCDA that builds capacity, promotes innovation, and supports local processors.”

He argued that while a dedicated board could bring structure to the cashew value chain, its success would depend on professionalism, data-driven strategies, and regional policy alignment, especially across West Africa, where countries like Côte d’Ivoire are ramping up production.

Mr. Kpelly also emphasized the need for modern processing equipment, domestic demand for by-products, affordable financing, and strong international branding if Ghana is to catch up with global cashew leaders such as Vietnam and India.

“A cashew board must go beyond just managing prices. It must drive innovation, marketing, and global competitiveness,” he stressed.

He urged that any new structure must prioritize sustainable use of by-products, link to carbon markets, and maintain strong ties with industry players, research institutions, and regional bodies to avoid working in isolation.

Mr. Kpelly’s comments follow a pledge by President John Dramani Mahama to establish a cashew processing factory and a dedicated Cashew Development Board under his next administration.

President Mahama said the initiative would help boost local economies and create jobs, particularly for rural households that depend on cashew farming.

“Cashew is not just a crop. It is a livelihood for many of our people. It puts food on the table, sends children to school, and drives our rural economy,” he said.

He added that the proposed board would focus on fair pricing, market access, value addition, and research, areas he believes have long lacked proper support.

“By processing our cashew locally, we can create jobs and retain more of the wealth here,” Mahama stated, outlining the move as part of a broader push to industrialise Ghana’s agriculture sector.

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