Abstract
The cashew nut is the second exporting product of Benin after
cotton. The exported volume of the product is estimated at over 50,000 tons in
2004. The evolution over fifteen years has revealed the importance of this crop
in the exports, and largely in Beninese economy. From 1997 to 2001, exports of
cashew nuts per year in Benin are rated at 33% in value and 40% in amount
(Trade map CCI Geneva, 2001). Exports of cashew nuts have regained more
importance with the declining performance of the cotton sector. In the same
vein, and concomitantly with the evolution of cashew nut sector, producers have
to abide with quality standards with respect to quality norms.
This study entitled «Assessment of implementation
conditions of production standards resulting from EEC/UN directions in the
production of cashew nuts in Kouandé, Atacora, Benin» intends to
contribute to a better efficiency of interventions for a more efficiency-led
cashew nut production. This suggests production that meets quality standards
required on the world market as well as quantity records.
In order to achieve this objective, a survey has been carried
out on 60 farmers from 10 villages and about 15 CVPA who were sampled after a
systematic checking up of the membership of producers' organizations. After
this classification of producers and a partial analysis of the financial
profitability of production systems, the study proceeded with the use of the
prospective analysis set by ICRA.
The production system of cashew nuts is featured by some
production factors: the land-producer ratio which is higher than 2 ha (for 68%
of producers) and the land in ownership (about 93% of lands). The work force is
mainly family based (the average size of households is 7.2), and sometimes more
workers are hired for harder tasks, and harvesting operations are conducted at
a minimal cost. On the other hand, the cashew nut plant is associated with
other crops in a rotation process: 92% of farmers produce food crops or other
crops before planting cashew nut trees. The average yield in the study area,
over fifteen years is 307.85kg/ha. On the contrary, data from FAO indicate an
average yield of 225.17kg/ha over the same period. The test T of student
(T=3.583; p=0.001) shows a significant difference and confirms an advantage for
Kouandé compared to other production areas in Benin.
The systems also shows that most farmers fail to abide by the
production standards, especially those
related to the quality of harvested
nuts. 83% of producers use seeds of doubtful quality. As for
spacing, the
density ranges from some cashew plants to over 200 plants per hectare. 90% of
farmers
don't practice sunny spell. Most of Kouandé producers
pick up nuts upon their falling, while only 3.33% of producers harvest nuts
from trees; 58% of farmers mix both good quality nuts and bad quality nuts; 65%
of Kouandé producers keep their nuts in sacks. This crop plays a social
and economic role in the study area.
The cashew plays a core role in the economic lives of surveyed
families. As the first source of their incomes, the cashew nut production
contributes to children education, family health expenses, family food, and to
various ceremonies and farm works, and finally to the renewal of the dead or
living cheptel. Moreover, in the study area, this crop is an important source
of employment, of social prestige, life insurance and contributes to the
creation of temporary wealth that is the basis of very important monetary
transactions.
Cashew production is, in whole, financially profitable,
especially when we move from traditional production system to the system
indicated by the production standards.
The study revealed that producers have a positive perception
on the production standards regarding the confidence of customers, the yield of
crops, the protection of the environment, the availability of the equipment,
the cooperation between producers, the competitiveness of the farms, the
competition on the market, the exportable sales and the profit to their
competitors. On the other hand, farmers think that abiding by the standards of
quality has a negative impact on the costs of production and on the prices to
producers. These opinions have nothing to do with the categories of producers
that we obtained according to the X2 test.
Actually, producers are categorized on the basis of relevant
variables. They are then classified in homogenous categories on the basis of
social, economic and/or demographic features (age, type of producer, the lands
tenure, instruction level, location of farms), on the basis of parameters of
the standards (spacing, harvest method, storage method, production of seeds,
celerity of picking up) and on the basis of yield. The X2 tests
indicate a high dependence between these variables and the categories while the
gap between categories according to test ANOVA is not significant regarding the
location and the yield.
A so-called «prospective analysis» has been carried
out deriving from classes of producers obtained earlier.
On the basis of analysis of strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats, we made prospective scenarii in the evolution of
implementation of standards in the production of cashew nuts. Those scenarios
are mainly optimistic, pessimistic, stationary and realistic, and are based on
five core strengths including the demand in cashew nuts, the organization of
trading, the organization of
the extension, the frequency and quantitative importance of the
stealing of nuts, and the suitable loans to production. The «focus
groups» carried out with producers endeavour to spell out proposition of
factors in order to promote the Benin cashew nuts label during the next ten
years. Key words: Prospective analysis, quality
standards, production standards, international standards, standards
perceptions, standards parameters, SWOT analysis, label, foreign trade, cashew
nuts.
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