The plant will handle 2,400 metric tonnes of cashew annually, creating over 500 jobs for the locals.
The European Trust Fund (ETF) has announced plans to set up a cashew nut processing factory in Kenya’s coast, a move expected to create employment and improve livelihoods.
Without giving much details, ETF hinted the plant will handle 2,400 metric tonnes of cashew annually, creating over 500 jobs for the locals.
The announcement comes amid ETF’s launch of a project in October last year which is set to see distribution of one million seeds and seedlings to 15,000 small holder farmers in Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu.
The project which includes certification of the farmers as producers of organic and fair-trade cashew and sesame will run for four years.
The initiative to support smallholder farmers in the three counties is undertaken under a tripartiate deal that includes the European Union, Ten Senses Africa Limited and Farm Africa.
The European Union partners comprise the Visegrad countries of Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary.
European Union Deputy Head of Mission in Kenya Bruno Pozzi said the investment is aimed at economic improvement of the livelihoods in the three counties.
“As a joint effort of the Visegrad countries, the initiative will address fair-trade challenges and imbalances of bargaining power in the food supply chain,” he said during launch of the project.
The partnership follows a European Union proposal to ban unfair trading practices in the food supply chain in order to boost small and medium sized food and farming businesses.
The proposed ban targets business conducts that undermine the economic viability of operators in the chain. The move involves setting minimum standards and reinforcing the enforcement of the existing rules.
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