Trend Analysis Of Cashew Production In Africa

Cashew is an economically important crop in Africa, with the continent accounting for about 45% in the global cashew market. Cashew is also a veritable source of food, raw materials and income for the producing countries in Africa. The study examined cashew production in Africa from 1976 to 2020. Trend analysis was carried out to determine the pattern of cashew production in the continent over the years. This study adopted the secondary source of data. Data and relevant information were collected from Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) statistics (2020). Time series data was collected for a period of 45 years ranging from 1976 to 2020. This range was particularly selected to properly capture the long run behaviour of cashew production in Africa. Data on quantity produced in tonnes, yield in hg/ha, area harvested in hectares were obtained. The results indicated that the level and growth of cashew production in Africa is promising as there has been a general upward trend in cashew production in the continent. Africa’s cashew production level has risen by about 30% in the last decade attaining a record of 2440286 tonnes in the year 2020. The growth of cashew production in Cote d’Ivoire was highly impressive as the country now stands as the largest cashew producer in Africa and one of the top three in the world. In the year 2020 Cote d’ Ivoire broke the record for the highest cashew produced by an African nation with a production quantity of 848700 tonnes overtaking Nigeria’s 2009 figure which stood at 800000 tonnes. Certain factors, such as, increase in the land allocated for cashew cultivation, renewed interest and increasing investment in cashew from the private sector and investment in breeding technology were identified as the reasons driving the promising look of cashew production in Africa. From the results of the study, it is recommended that African countries should focus more on investment in cashew research and that researchers should collaborate with their contemporaries around the world.