Côte d’Ivoire’s cashew harvest falters in bounkani region

From Bouna, Côte d’Ivoire

Kouamé Ouattara, a farmer with a 3-hectare cashew plantation, is struggling this season. “Three years ago, I could harvest 500 kg per hectare. Now, I barely manage to gather two bags from the entire 3 hectares,” he explains. The culprit? A disrupted rainy season. “Usually, heavy rains between November and December help the cashew trees bloom. But this year, the rain stopped in October. October, November, December, January, February—there was no rain at all. Once the flowering fails, you have to wait until next year. That’s why this harvest has been a disaster.”

The consequences extend beyond cashew production. Beekeepers who maintain hives in cashew orchards are also feeling the pinch. Koffi Ouattara, president of the Koflangué beekeepers’ association, notes, “We’re not producing enough honey right now. Last year, we had 100 liters. This year, only 30 liters. It’s a significant loss for us.”

Outdated farming practices worsen the crisis

While erratic weather plays a major role, poor agricultural practices are exacerbating the situation, according to Dr. Sibirina Soro, a researcher at the University of Daloa and coordinator of the national cashew research project. “Many orchards resemble dense forests because farmers didn’t follow the recommended planting density at the start,” he explains. “We now advise farmers to rehabilitate their orchards to achieve the optimal density of 100 trees per hectare.” Dr. Soro also highlights the need for better pest control training, as Ivorian cashew farmers avoid chemical pesticides, leaving them more vulnerable to crop losses during difficult seasons.