5 Apr 2023

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CASHEW PRODUCTION AND ITS IMPACT ON UGWOLAWO, OFU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KOGI STATE, 1991-2018

 Agbonika Ojali Peace

Department of History and International Studies,

Federal University, Lokoja, Nigeria

&

Oladimeji Adewale Shemfe

Department of History and International Studies,

Federal University, Lokoja, Nigeria

Abstract

Agriculture is the lifeblood of the Nigerian economy. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, it contributes about 25.75% to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP),playing a crucial role in societal development. In a country like Nigeria where a large percentage of the country’s income is dependent on crude oil, it raises questions about the need to diversify the economy. What better way to make this happen than with agriculture? The paper hence deals with cashew-nuts production and its impacts on the economic development of the Ugwolawo community in the Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State. The study will contribute to knowledge and existing literature on cashew nut production which can also be a springboard for further research. The paper relied on data from primary and secondary sources. Information from primary sources was extensively gathered from oral interviews with farmers and traders who are involved in both cashew-nut production processes in the study area. Also, participatory observation from visits to cashew farms and trading centers. Secondary sources include; books, journals, and literature; published and unpublished that expatiate on the economic history of various people, texts on the Ugwolawo people as well as their socio-economic engagement, and general agricultural production on rural farmers. Knowing the relevance of agriculture to any economy, It is hoped that by this effort, policymakers in the Local Government Area, state, and the country at large would be able to see the potential of qualitative large-scale cashew-nut production on the economy of Nigeria and proffer solutions to the constraints identified in the quest for a greater yield which will positively affect the economy of the nation at large. 

Keywords: Agriculture, Development, Programmes, Cashew Nuts, Land                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

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Introduction

Several attempts have been made in written literature on the economy of the Igala people, but little emphasis has been given to the production and distribution of cashew nuts. The first scholarly work on the history of the Igala people is crucial to the people’s history. J. S. Boston in his work, The Igala Kingdom describes the Igala people and how their environment affected their lifestyle. He also painted a clear picture of the Igala people and their neighbors. He went ahead to describe the settlement patterns in the Igala kingdom and how it has affected their migration and settlement patterns which are greatly highlighted in the Igala culture. He narrated the kinship and hereditary system, as such his research shed sufficient light to the history of the Igala people whose pre-colonial economy was majorly agrarian.1  However, this research intends to document the economic activities of the Ugwolawo people, especially the production of cashew nuts which has become a lifesaver for the people in the region as they depend on it as a source of livelihood.  It is worthy to note that the cashew-nut sub-section of the Nigerian agricultural sector of the economy presents itself as a potentially productive sector that could be used to highly diversify Nigeria’s economy, emphasis is placed on agriculture because of the lack of crude oil in the area as can be found in the coastal Niger Delta Basin of Nigeria. This has the potential to ameliorate Nigeria’s unemployment rate as the sector could employ about 3 million Nigerian people in about nine cashew-growing states in Nigeria.2

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF UGWOLAWO

Ugwolawo is a district in the present-day Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State which is located in the Kogi East Senatorial District of the state.3 Ugwolawo is the headquarters of the Local Government Area and it occupies a total landmass of about 1,580 square kilometers.4 The 2006 census put the population of the area at 192,161.5  Ugwolawo comprises Ojimaji, Ukpolochi, and Udabaji villages amongst others.6 Ugwolawo shares common boundaries with the following towns,  Ofokofi to the North,  Egbala to the West, and Ejikolu and Odolu to the East and located approximately between latitude 7°12’N and longitude 6°55’E.7 Ofu Local Government Area was initially created by the then Shehu Shagari administration on 2nd December, 1980.8 It was however scraped by General Muhammadu Buhari’s military administration in 1983, but it was created again on the 11th of May, 1989, when the military government of President Ibrahim Babangida created 6 additional local governments in the then Benue State.9 The vegetation of the area is essentially a guinea savanna with an average annual rainfall of about 1000-1500mm. Due to the fertility of the land and the ecological nature of the environment, the people are predominantly farmers.10

ORIGIN AND SPREAD OF THE CASH PLANTATION

The cashew tree is a small medium-sized tree believed to have originated from a short-growing ecotype; Anacardium Occidentale, it exists amongst the low vegetation of the Restinga in coastal northeastern Brazil.11 Therefore, cashew is well adapted to seasonal wet and dry tropical climates and can grow and yield satisfactorily on well-drained, light-textured soils with minimum inputs. This indicates that cashews have very good adaptability to wide ecological differences. Cashew is an important industrial and export crop whose potential is yet to be fully explored in Nigeria. The name cashew is derived from the Portuguese word “caju”, which in turn comes from the Tupi-Indian word “acaju”. Though cashew is indigenous to Brazil, it was India that first made it a commodity of international trade.12 Cashew was introduced into Nigeria between the 15th and 16th centuries by the Portuguese. From Portugal, the crop spread to other parts of Asia and Africa.13 At present, cashew is produced in 32 countries of the world with sufficient warm and humid climates. The main producers however are Brazil, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, India, Mozambique, Nigeria, Philippines, Tanzania, and Vietnam. The plant when initially introduced to Nigeria was purposely for afforestation schemes and erosion control of the failing soil structure of Eastern Nigeria.14

The fruit of the tree is a small kidney-shaped nut that hangs below a much larger false fruit. The edible fruit, called the cashew apple, is pear-shaped, with a waxy appearance that often turns yellow when ripe. The unripe cashew apple is astringent and slightly acidic. When ripe, it has a characteristic apple flavor and can be eaten fresh or dried, or processed into juices, jellies, and wines. The nut consists of a smooth tough shell surrounding an edible kernel. This kernel is what the tree is primarily valued for. Anacardium occidentale is a fast-growing, hardy, and drought-resistant multipurpose tree species cultivated in many tropical countries. It is one of the most well-known species for its nut in the world, although all parts of the tree are useful. It is an important tropical tree crop in terms of international trade. It is also a well-known agroforestry species. The trees produce fruits when they are about 4 years old and the maximum production is from 10 to 30 years. Trees are also suitable for use in the rehabilitation of degraded lands, afforestation of barren, slashed-and burned farmland and coastal saline sandy lands. The trees are easily cultivated, vigorous, and require little care. The prospects for Anacardium Occidentale plantations are very good due to domestic and international demand for cashew tree products.

CASHEW PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

Descriptively, during harvest seasons, the fruits with nuts attached, fall to the ground and are gathered manually. Hence at this stage, cashew-nut production becomes highly labor intensive. The unripe cashew apple is astringent and slightly acidic.15 The farmers in Ugwolawo hardly have efficient use for the cashew apple primarily because of its perishable nature and the lack of technology to sufficiently process it.16 When ripe, the cashew apple is plucked from trees and can be eaten fresh or dried, or processed into juices, and jellies.17 The longer the cashew apple gets ripened on the tree, the sweeter it becomes. Regardless, these cashew apples are preferably plucked before they fall off the tree because the fall can damage the quality of the apple.18

Cashew nut processing is the combination of suitable machinery and skilled labor which aids in producing a good result. When cashew nuts are collected from open farms, it consists of dust and foreign matter that must be removed. These cashew nuts are dried in the sun for two days and are then stored in gunny bags for processing throughout the year. The process of sun drying helps in the removal of excess moisture thus resulting in longer storage. The use of machinery in cashew nut processing work makes the job simple and effective. The processing of cashew nuts is a five-stage process, each designed to produce quality edible cashew kernels. This includes steam roasting, shell cutting, peeling, grading, and packing.

Steam Roasting: Steam roasting is the process whereby the outer shell of the raw cashew nuts has to be removed to produce the edible cashew kernel. The outer shell of the cashew is very hard, it contains corrosive oil that is harmful to human consumption.19 The process of steam roasting helps in the removal of this hard shell with minimal effort. The raw cashew nuts are put in a drum connected to a mini boiler. The steam from this mini boiler is passed over the cashew nuts and placed in the drum for 10 -15 minutes. These cashew nuts are left in the drum for 20 minutes for proper roasting. The roasted cashew nuts are then taken out of the drum and placed in the open air for around 12 hours to let them cool down and help in the removal of the cashew shells in the shell-cutting stage.

Shell Cutting: The roasted cashew nuts are taken to the cutting department to remove the outer shell. This is a complex process and requires highly skilled labor to get maximum unbroken kernel output. This process required each cashew nut to be individually placed between blades of the machine operated manually to remove the outer shell. This process results in the production of cashew kernels with soft inner shells. These nuts are then placed in an oven which is constantly maintained at a temperature of about 60 degrees Celsius for 24 hours to make the inner shell brittle for easy peeling which is the next stage.20

Peeling:The inner shell of the kernel must be removed to produce the white nuts. Thus, the peeling process is designed to remove this inner soft shell after the kernel is removed from the oven. The kernel is used for peeling after it is left in the open for 12 hours. This cooling helps in the peeling process. Each nut is individually peeled to get white nuts. These white nuts are then sent to the grading department.

Grading:The process of grading is designed to sort the white cashew kernel into different grades. The white kernel is divided into two main types, wholes, and pieces. The wholes are further divided into 15 grades and the pieces are divided into 9 main grades. The process of sorting wholes and the pieces are based on the size, color, and texture of the nuts. The sorting is done based on the set international sizes. These nuts are then once again placed in the oven to make nuts crispier before they are sent to the packaging department.21

Packing: The cashew kernels are packed into plastic bags and bottles of different sizes for sale in local markets and to middlemen who act on behalf of foreign markets. It is worthy to however note that the processing of cashew nuts in Ugwolawo is a recent phenomenon and it is only done on a small scale for subsistence use or to sell in the local markets for profit.22 Due to the worldwide increase in demand for Cashew-nuts, machinery have being developed to bring about ease and speed in the processing of these nuts, these machines include Steam roasters, grading machines, cashew cutters, and even cashew dryers. However, these mechanized machines are not effectively present in the area under study. Due to the lack of technology for processing in the area, more often than not, if not sold on time, most of the cashew apples get spoiled and wasted. Regardless, these local farmers in Ugwolawo strive to continue producing quality and quantitative cashew yield that can stand testing in the international market standard scene.23

HISTORY OF CASHEW PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA

Nigeria is one of the global leaders in cashew production on the world business scene. The cashew industry is one of the most important food processing and small-scale industries responsible for rural development. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)  recognized the cashew-nut industry as one of the important tools for poverty eradication at a global level. Hence, this sub-theme intends to document findings made on the origin and spread of cashew nuts in Ugwolawo. In Nigeria, cashew grows successfully in virtually all agro-ecological zones including the semi-arid areas but with a high concentration in the Middle Belt areas in smallholder farms and plantations. The first Nigerian cashew plantation dates back to 1954, with approximately 800 hectares in the present Enugu State and 200 hectares in the western part of the country.24 From 1965 to 1990, cashew production was relatively static at 25,000 tons with an estimated land area of 50,000 hectares. Despite the initial problems, ranging from soil adaptability, pest, diseases, fund allocation, etc, cashew cultivation has spread to 27 states in Nigeria. These states include Kogi, Kwara, Oyo, Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Enugu, Benue, Cross River, Imo, Sokoto, Nassarawa, Ogun, Osun, Plateau, Kebbi amongst others.25

Commercial cashew plantations started in Nigeria in the early 1950s with the establishment of the first commercial plantations at Oghe, Oji and Mbala by the defunct Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation (ENDC) and at Iwo, Eruwa, and Upper Ogun by the defunct Western Nigeria Development Corporation (WNDC). Edo State produces cashew too and even Gwanara District in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State. From these locations, the planting of the crop started spreading to other parts of Nigeria, particularly in the Central and Northern States of Nigeria.26 These plantations were established with Indian cashew varieties. Progress in the cashew industry then was slow due to general neglect and poor management of the plantations. With the involvement of private entrepreneurs, Federal and State Governments, and affluent farmers, more nuts were obtained in 1978, 1980, and 1982 from India, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Brazil to broaden the cashew genetic base of the country.27 Research on its production and uses started at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, in 1971.28

The introduction of the Brazilian cashew biotype with improved and desirable nut and kernel quality characteristics by CRIN has further increased crop spread, yield, and popularity in Nigeria.  The commodity of commercial importance is the nut, which contains 47 percent fat, 21 percent protein, and 22 percent carbohydrate.29 It also contains vitamins, especially thiamine. Its proteins are complete, and having all the essential amino acids and a kilogram of the nut yields about 6000 calories compared to 3600 calories from cereals, 1800 calories from meat, and 650 calories from fresh citrus fruit.30

It was reported by Onuchi and Aiyelabowo that in 1995, total hectares of land under cultivation was estimated at 40,000 with about 60 percent of the holdings owned by smallholders; another 30 percent were available in the wild; while 10 percent was in the large and medium-size commercial plantation sector.31 By the year 2000, there were however indications that total hectares had increased significantly to about 100,000 hectares due to the involvement of some State Governments in cashew cultivation. This expansion was a direct result of the cashew production expansion programs like; Agricultural Development Programs (ADPs), National Land Development Authority (NALDA), and Tree Crop Units (TCUs). With a yield estimated at 700kg per hectare. The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), which has a national mandate on cashew production, estimates national production to be around 70,000MT annually. CRIN maintains a cashew observatory in Ochaja, Kogi State, where lots of cashews are harvested annually.32

CONTRIBUTIONS OF CASHEW PRODUCTION TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF UGWOLAWO

Since agriculture employs many people in Ugwolawo, it contributes to economic development. As a result, the level of national income, as well as the people’s standard of living, has improved. The fast rate of development in the agricultural sector offers a progressive outlook as well as an increased motivation for development. Hence, it aids to create a good atmosphere for the overall economic development of the country. Therefore, economic development relies on the agricultural growth rate. For investments to be strategic, emphasis needs to be placed on rural women, and in particular labor-saving technologies. As such, agriculture has impacted the community in the following ways,

Source of Savings: Development in agriculture has increased savings. The rich farmers we see today started saving particularly after the Green Revolution. This surplus quantity was re-invested further in the agricultural sector.

Great Employment Opportunities: The Nigerian agricultural sector provides more employment opportunities to the labor force which reduces the high rate of unemployment in the nation caused by the fast-growing population. In Ugwolawo, the production of cashew is not gender specific as both men and women actively engage in it, with children helping alongside. This helps reduce the number of idle hooligans in the community.

Significant to International Trade: Agricultural products like cashew nuts, juice, jam, marmalades, etc., is made possible for exportation because of the farmers’ active participation in the production of cashew. Engaging in this trade adds value to the farmer and the economy of the nation at large.

Increase in the standard of living: it is unarguable that the cashew production sector of the community has brought about a better lifestyle for the people, as they live above poverty and enjoy the benefits of a more secure future, access to primary health care, education, etc. One cannot separate Ugowola from her major role and reliance on cashew farming.

MARKETING

According to the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Audu Ogbeh, the current worth of a tonne of roasted or processed cashew nut for export is $10,000 while the raw cashew nut is sold for $1,200 on the international market. This calls for exporters in Nigeria to focus more on the export of processed cashew nuts rather than exporting raw cashew nuts.33 Nigeria processes approximately the same quantity of kernels as it exports raw nuts. Approximately 75 percent of the kernels processed are for the local markets. Local kernels vary in quality and grades from those tied in nylons to those packaged in tins and bottles, competing for and in most cases winning shelf spaces with the few imports.34

CHALLENGES TO CASHEW NUT PRODUCTION

Various constraints are militating against the production, marketing, and processing of cashew fruits in Nigeria. These factors include:

Lack of financial support: The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), stated that the sector is lagging due to a lack of investments.35

Inadequate Government Support: The government fails to lay investments to finance the development of cashew farming. Poor government support in terms of facilities used, and finance of chemicals for the killing of pests and disease was identified as the challenge facing farmers in Ugwolawo Area. Cashew nut products in process, storage, and harvesting are still poor and lead to low productivity of cashew nut output. During interviews with cashew nut farmers, one of the respondents disclosed that young trees should be provided with good irrigation to help them grow.36

Pest and Diseases: Pest and diseases also affect the production level of the established plantation. In Nigeria, the production of cashew is impaired mostly by problems associated with its pest complex. Cashews, like most tree crops, host a wide range of pests and diseases. These pests infest its various parts including roots, stems, twigs, branches, flowers, inflorescence, and the pseudo-apple. The earliest work on cashew crop protection at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, which began in 1971 involved the collection, identification, and preservation of the insect pest and disease complex of the cashew plant. This was followed by concerted efforts to understand their symptoms and formulate desirable practices aimed at reducing the menace of these pests.37

The following insects have been identified to affect cashew: stem girdler (Analeptes trifasciata), red-banded thrips (Selenothrips rubrocinctus), fruit scraper (Pachnoda cordata ), Root borer (Plocaederus ferrugineus L). These insect species have implicated economic losses estimated between 52 and 75 percent of the production level. Similarly, cashew production is seriously affected by three major diseases. These include Floral shoot die-back, Twig die-back, and Root rot of cashew seedlings (caused by Pythium ultimum, Trow). Floral shoot die-back also reduces total nut yield by an average of 38-70 percent, Twig die-back causes more than 50 percent of death of vegetative shoot of cashew. The loss due to root rot of cashew seedlings was estimated at 10-15 percent in the nursery.38 Screening of some genotypes of cashew led to the identification of ten genotypes with relative tolerance to cashew inflorescence blight diseases affecting the cashew industry in Nigeria. All these pests and diseases greatly affect cashew production in Ugwolawo and if not properly managed, they can reduce marginally the quality and quantity of the cashew harvest.39

Lack of training for the farmers: This challenge greatly hinders the cashew farmers from rendering their best services to their farms. Training is an important aspect of the improvement of farms up to the last stage of harvest. Farmers lack important training on better methods of taking care of their farms, this automatically leads to the operation of farmlands with low yields. Training is accompanied by teaching farmers to use better pest and vegetable propagation methods that will automatically result in a boost for the cashew harvest. Lack of adequate knowledge of the various sizes and qualities of cashew nuts is also a constant hindrance to the farmers.

Storage Problem: The problems of transportation, spoilage (nuts properly dried), price fluctuations, low demand, poor marketing, and lack of stable finances inhibits the growth of cashew production. To solve challenges faced by farmers of cashew nut farming in the Ugwolawo area to bring about sustainable developments, societies, governments, investors and non-governmental organizations must play an active role to combat these challenges and bring about ease in Cashew-nuts production.

STRATEGIES FOR CASHEW NUT PRODUCTION

The target of cashew nut development in the Ugwolawo area is to produce a quality product. The main priority strategy generated in this research is to form a joint business group. By encouraging farmers to be each other’s brother’s keepers and support each other. This strategy is the best way for farmers to develop the quality of cashew nuts because it is a place to share experiences and get direct counseling training from the local government and directly get funding and incentives. This should spur Nigeria to local industrialization and enable processors to break through due to lower prices as a result of reduced competition between export and local utilization. A new President for NCAN was elected in July 2019, and Mr. Ojo Ajanaku wants the Federal Government to enact policies that would promote the cashew industry. He stated that there is no law to guide the import and export of cashew as raw material from Nigeria presently. He added that it was important for the country to have policies regulating the cashew industry to save it from exploitation by foreigners.40

NCAN’s efforts in bridging the gap aim intensively at getting more incentives, investments, and capital for farmers involved in the cashew trade. He noted that at present, Nigeria is producing over 200,000 metric tonnes of cashew yearly and out of the 100 percent of cashew that goes out, 60 percent is from Kogi State because the aroma is what the world wants.41

Agricultural productivity can therefore be seen as a first step or engine of growth leading to greater income for a country. It is interesting to note that historically no poor country has reduced poverty only through agriculture, but almost none have achieved it without increasing agricultural productivity in the first instance.

Conclusion

The foundational idea behind agriculture is to reduce world hunger, serve as a means of income for families and nations at large, provide raw materials for industries, etc. Simply put, agriculture is essential because it produces commodities that aid in maintaining life, such as food, fiber, livestock, forest products, fruits, vegetables, and other related services which are all essential factors because the economic wealth of nations strongly depends on many raw materials the nation possesses. On a much narrower scale, the entirety of this paper sought to provide answers to the questions raised as to what extent Ugwolawo practices cashew farming and to what degree this agricultural production process impacted the standard of living of the people who reside in the region. Answers were provided throughout the research work, all pointing to one fact, that the economic survival of any nation can be expressed through how diversified the economy is. One of the major challenges facing Nigeria’s growth is its total dependence on crude oil. As such, with the increasing recognition of the need to diversify the production base in the nation to promote economic growth, cashew production is considered one of the strong contributors to wealth for the nation.

ENDNOTES

  1. J. S. Boston, The Igala Kingdom, (Ibadan: Oxford University Press, 1968), p.12.
  2.  NCAN Report, 2019, p. 4.
  3.  I. Ikenna, “The Geology of Ugwolawo and its Environments in Kogi State”, Geological Sciences Research, vol.3, (2010), p.4.
  4. Ibid
  5. www.database.com. National Population Commission Ugwolawo, Ofu Local Government, Retrieved 11th March, 2020.
  6. Oral Interview with Agbonika Philip, 69years, Pensioner, Lokoja, 10th March, 2020.
  7. www.database.com. Date Accessed 12th March, 2020.
  8. Oral Interview with Abdulkadri Fatima, 47years, Geography Teacher, Community Secondary School, Ugwolawo, 12th March, 2020.
  9.  Ibid
  10. Ibid
  11. International Nuts and Dried Fruit Report, 2012. p. 8
  12. International Nuts and Dried Fruit Report, p. 3.
  13. Ibid, p. 4.
  14. Ibid
  15. Oral Interview with Danjuma Mubarak, 46 years old, Farmer, Ugwolawo, 5th June, 2020
  16. Ibid
  17. Ibid
  18. Oral Interview with Omaye Iye, 33 years old, Farmer, Ugwolawo, 5th June, 2020.
  19. Kogi Ministry of Agriculture/Rural Development Report, 2018. p.8.
  20. Oral Interview with Mama Memunat, 35 years old, Cashew-nut processor/trader, Ugwolawo, 5th June, 2020.
  21.  Ibid
  22. Ibid
  23. Oral Interview with Usman Ali, 41 years old, Farmer, Ugwolawo, 6th June, 2020.
  24. Ibid
  25. Ibid, p. 6.
  26. Ibid. p. 7.
  27. “Major Food and Agricultural Commodities and Producers- Countries by Commodity” http://www.fao.org, Accessed on 6th September, 2020.
  28.  T. T. Schultz, “The Economics of Being Poor”, The Journal of Political Economy, Vol 88, No. 4, 2015, p. 59.
  29. Oral Interview with Uredo Sani, 43 years, Farmer, Ugwolawo, 4th September, 2020.
  30. Oral Interview with Ufedo-Ojo Idakwoji, 42 years, Farmer, Ugwolawo, 14th March, 2020.
  31. A. U. Ahmed, Adoption of New Technology and Agricultural Development (Kano: Kachi Press, 2008), p. 28.
  32. Oral Interview with Mali Ojochegbe, 37 years, Farmer, Ugwolawo, 4th September, 2020.
  33. E. A. Ayodele, P. O. Adebola, O. M. Aliyu, et.al, “Research Aspect of the Cashew        Industry in Nigeria”, A paper presented at the 1st Annual NCAN conference, October 2001, p. 19.
  34. Oral Interview with Usman Ali, 41 years old, Farmer, Ugwolawo, 6th June, 2020.
  35. NCAN Report, 2019, p. 4.
  36. Oral Interview with Papa Ojodomo, 37 years old, Farmer, Ugwolawo, 8th May, 2020.
  37. Ibid
  38. Ibid
  39. Ibid
  40. Speech Delivered by Mr. Ojo Ajanaku, President NCAN- July, 2019 Conference, Badagry, Lagos.
  41. Ibid

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