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Cashew as a High Agricultural Commodity in West Africa: Insights towards Sustainable Production in Guinea-Bissau

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  • Filipa Monteiro

    (Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
    Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Luís Catarino

    (Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Dora Batista

    (Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
    Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
    Centro de Investigação das Ferrugens do Cafeeiro (CIFC), Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1300-344 Oeiras, Portugal)

  • Bucar Indjai

    (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisa, Centro de Estudos Ambientais e Tecnologia Apropriada (INEP/CEATA), Avenida dos Combatentes da Liberdade da Pátria, Complexo Escolar 14 de Novembro, CP 112 Bissau, Guinea-Bissau)

  • Maria Cristina Duarte

    (Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Maria M. Romeiras

    (Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
    Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal)

Abstract

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the West African region has highly diverse agro-climatic conditions, which grant the potential for a remarkable agricultural production of a great diversity of crops. Since the 1980s, the production volumes of most crops have grown vigorously for both domestic and export markets. Traditional food crops—such as rice, groundnuts and sorghum—have been replaced by cash crops, namely cashew. Among the main cashew production areas, West Africa is the most recent and dynamic in the world, accounting for 45% of the worldwide production of cashew nuts in 2015. In consequence, cashew cultivation has acquired an important position in West African smallholder farming, providing positive economic and social effects. In this paper, we provide an overview of the cashew production system in the West African region, using Guinea-Bissau as a case study. In particular, we present some viewpoints concerning the impact of cashew production and discuss how the strong dependence on a single cash crop can compromise the local livelihoods and food security. Finally, some insights are given towards the sustainable production of cashew in the face of the recent risks affecting the agricultural sector in West Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Filipa Monteiro & Luís Catarino & Dora Batista & Bucar Indjai & Maria Cristina Duarte & Maria M. Romeiras, 2017. "Cashew as a High Agricultural Commodity in West Africa: Insights towards Sustainable Production in Guinea-Bissau," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:9:p:1666-:d:112474
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Olawale Aliyu, 2012. "Genetic Diversity of Nigerian Cashew Germplasm," Chapters, in: Mahmut Caliskan (ed.), Genetic Diversity in Plants, IntechOpen.
    2. Kyle, Steven C., 2009. "Cashew Production in Guinea Bissau," Working Papers 55925, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    3. Ollenburger, Mary H. & Descheemaeker, Katrien & Crane, Todd A. & Sanogo, Ousmane M. & Giller, Ken E., 2016. "Waking the Sleeping Giant: Agricultural intensification, extensification or stagnation in Mali's Guinea Savannah," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 58-70.
    4. Huub Spiertz, 2013. "Challenges for Crop Production Research in Improving Land Use, Productivity and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-13, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hidayati, Dwi Ratna & Garnevska, Elena & Childerhouse, Paul, 2021. "Transforming Developing Countries Agrifood Value Chains," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 12(04), December.
    2. Danilson Varela & Filipa Monteiro & Patrícia Vidigal & Luís Silva & Maria M. Romeiras, 2020. "Mechanisms Implemented for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture: An Overview of Cabo Verde Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Caroline Dubbert & Awudu Abdulai & Sadick Mohammed, 2023. "Contract farming and the adoption of sustainable farm practices: Empirical evidence from cashew farmers in Ghana," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(1), pages 487-509, March.
    4. Philip J. Havik & Filipa Monteiro & Silvia Catarino & A. Manuel Correia & Luís Catarino & Maria Manuel Romeiras, 2018. "Agro-Economic Transitions in Guinea-Bissau (West Africa): Historical Trends and Current Insights," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-19, September.

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