A civil society group, the Cashew Watch Ghana (CWG), has secured a GH¢500,000 grant from the STAR-Ghana Foundation for the implementation of the second phase of a cashew sector advocacy project in the Bono Region.

The CWG is a national coalition of civil society organisations, farmer groups, media, and private sector actors working to promote accountability, advocacy, and improved livelihoods for cashew farmers across Ghana.

The National Coordinator of the CWG, Raphael Godlove Ahenu, explained that the execution of the "Amplifying the voices of cashew farmers" project sought to boost cashew production and guarantee the rights and voices of smallholder cashew farmers in the region.

The project implementation will promote transparency and accountability in the cashew value chain.

"We are excited to continue this critical work with the generous support of STAR-Ghana Foundation," Mr Ahenu, also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), said.

Beneficiary communities

It would be implemented in cashew-producing districts in the region, namely Jaman North, Jaman South, Banda and Tain districts of the region, and deepen farmer engagement in policy dialogue and strengthen grassroots advocacy.

Project

Mr Ahenu said GloMeF, an NGO, also specialises in using a right-based approach; social and behaviour change communication; research; and evidence-based advocacy to facilitate inclusive development interventions targeting youth, women, children and other vulnerable groups in society.

He highlighted the concept of the project, saying, "The grant will help us expand our reach, empower more cashew farmers, especially women and youth, and thereby strengthen their voice in sector governance".

The project will hold community sensitisation and farmer education fora, capacity-building workshops on policy advocacy, radio talk shows and media engagements, as well as monitor and document cashew-related policies and practices.

He said more than 1,000 smallholder farmers were expected to benefit directly, reaching an estimated 5,000 people indirectly through various awareness and advocacy campaigns.

Mr Ahenu further explained that the grant reflected STAR-Ghana Foundation's continued partnership with civil society organisations to drive citizen-led transformation and enhance the voice and influence of marginalised communities.

He said the CWG remained dedicated to ensuring that cashew farmers were not left behind in national agricultural policy discussions and that their concerns were tackled in the ongoing transformation of the nation's tree crop sector.