A New Dawn of Hope:
The Story of Madam Bani Wurche
Sixty-five-year-old Madam Bani Wurche, a smallholder farmer from the Achubunyor community, is a proud member of the Gurizange Cashew Farmers Group. Living with her husband and four other family members, Madam Bani has spent the last 20 years cultivating an 18-acre piece of land for subsistence farming. Eight acres of this land are dedicated to cashew cultivation, while the rest is used to grow food crops such as yam, maize, cassava, okra, pepper, cowpea, and millet.
Despite their dedication, Madam Bani and her family faced significant challenges in managing their cashew farm, often losing a substantial portion of their harvest each year. Poor farm sanitation and inadequate knowledge of proper harvesting and post-harvesting practices meant many cashew nuts went to waste, hidden under fallen leaves or germinating when the rains arrived.
Everything changed when Madam Bani received training through the Green for Change Ghana and GTI Feed the Future project. The training focused on harvest and post-harvest techniques, as well as cashew nut quality standards. For the first time, she learned the importance of proper orchard maintance and farm sanitation, understanding how these practices could reduce losses and improve yields.
The training also introduced Madam Bani to the importance of drying cashew nuts under shade rather than in direct sunlight—a revelation that could save her family from rejected harvests due to poor nut quality. "This training I have received will go a long way to help me and my family increase our household income since my nuts will no longer be rejected by buyers anymore," she said with excitement.
Moreover, she gained knowledge about the different types of cashew nuts, such as oil-stained, diseased, spotted, rotten, or immature nuts—information she had never encountered before. "At first, I thought all cashew nuts were the same, just like shea nuts, but this training has opened my eyes," she shared.
Madam Bani expressed deep gratitude to Green for Change Ghana and GTI for their impactful intervention, which has not only enlightened her but also brought step-down training sessions directly to her community. Thanks to this initiative, she envisions a brighter future for her family, with improved harvests translating into better income and living standards.
For Madam Bani Wurche, this is not just a training—it is a new dawn of hope for her farm, her family, and her community.
Transforming Lives Through Knowledge:
The Story of Mr. Mahama Abdulai
At 74 years old, Mr. Mahama Abdulai, a farmer from a household of 12, had spent decades cultivating crops to support his family. However, the idea of cashew farming had always seemed unappealing to him. Skeptical about its profitability and unfamiliar with the techniques required for success, he saw little reason to venture into cashew cultivation—until a transformative opportunity came his way.
Through the Green for Change Ghana and USAID project, Mr. Abdulai found himself at the forefront of change. Initially hesitant, he decided to plant a small cashew orchard and participate in the project’s training programs. This decision would prove to be life-changing. The training sessions covered essential farm management practices, including fertilization, pruning, pest control, and proper farm sanitation—all tailored to improve cashew productivity and nut quality. For Mr. Abdulai, the knowledge gained during these sessions was eye-opening. He realized the untapped potential of cashew farming and how strategic management could turn it into a lucrative venture.
"I will implement these newfound farming practices to witness remarkable transformations in my cashew plantation," Mr. Abdulai said with determination. "The knowledge gained will not only help me improve my cashew productivity but also significantly enhance the quality of the cashew nuts produced."
Today, Mr. Abdulai is optimistic about the future. The intervention has not only changed his perspective but has also given him a renewed sense of purpose in farming. His gratitude toward Green for Change Ghana and USAID is profound, as he credits them for introducing him to practices that promise to uplift his household’s income and livelihood.
As he looks ahead, Mr. Abdulai hopes that the project will continue beyond its current funding period to bring similar transformative impacts to other farmers in his community. For him, this intervention has turned skepticism into success and challenges into opportunities.
Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge:
The Story of Mr. Joseph Nnibo
Fifty-five-year-old Mr. Joseph Nnibo, a dedicated smallholder farmer from Murugu who now resides in the quiet farming community of Bonyanto, has spent nearly two decades working his 20-acre land alongside his wife and eldest son. While much of their farming effort has been devoted to growing food crops such as groundnuts, yams, beans, maize, and vegetables for subsistence, seven acres of their land are dedicated to cultivating cashews
Despite his efforts, Mr. Nnibo faced significant challenges, particularly due to the lack of knowledge and training on proper harvest, post-harvest, and bushfire control techniques. Every dry season, fires would ravage cashew farms in his community, destroying yields and livelihoods. Although many farmers blamed the Fulani herders, Mr. Nnibo acknowledges that the community’s lack of capacity-building support played a significant role in their struggles.
This narrative began to change when Mr. Nnibo joined the Kur-Ayuroto cashew farmers group under the Green for Change Ghana and GTI Feed the Future project, which aimed to enhance smallholder farmers' knowledge on cashew cultivation, harvest, and post-harvest practices. Through two comprehensive training sessions, Mr. Nnibo gained valuable insights into fire belt creation, proper drying techniques, and the importance of quality cashew nut packaging and storage.
“I now understand why buyers from Damongo often complained about my nuts and paid lower prices. I thought they were exploiting us, but I’ve learned that some of the fault lies with us,” Mr. Nnibo said, reflecting on his past practices. Previously, he feared drying cashew nuts might lead to significant weight loss in storage sacks, not realizing that improper drying affected nut quality.
Armed with this new knowledge, Mr. Nnibo confidently states, “Thanks to this training, I now know the quality parameters buyers are looking for and will do what is required of me to meet those standards.” He also appreciates the importance of creating fire belts around his farm, a preventive measure that will protect his crops from annual fires.
Expressing heartfelt gratitude on behalf of his community, Mr. Nnibo commended Green for Change Ghana and the GTI Feed the Future Project for bringing transformative training to his doorstep. He assured the team that he and his peers would implement the lessons learned and hopes for occasional follow-up visits to monitor their progress.
Mr. Nnibo’s story is a testament to the power of knowledge in transforming lives and empowering farmers to overcome challenges while improving their livelihoods.
Breaking Misconceptions:
The Story of Madam Bimata Seidu
At 72 years old, Madam Bimata Seidu has spent much of her life farming cashews alongside her household of 11 members. Like many in her community, she believed that visually appealing cashew nuts were automatically of high quality, a misconception that shaped her farming and business practices for years. Confident in her assumptions, she often dismissed buyers’ feedback and suspected them of dishonesty when they questioned the quality of her nuts.
That perspective changed when Madam Bimata attended a transformative training session organized by Green for Change Ghana under the USAID Feed the Future Project. The training shattered her long-held beliefs, revealing the critical parameters used to determine cashew nut quality beyond just appearances.
For Madam Bimata, this knowledge was a game-changer. “Most buyers, particularly Olam Ghana, buy cashew based on specific quality parameters. Thanks to this training, I now understand what they look for and will ensure that the nuts I produce meet these standards for maximum gains,” she said with determination.
In addition to learning about nut quality assessment, the training emphasized the importance of proper hygiene practices in cashew farming. Inspired by these insights, Madam Bimata pledged to implement hygienic measures on her farm to enhance her crop yield and quality. She was confident that adopting these techniques would result in a more productive and bountiful harvest in the coming season.
This shift in perspective has empowered Madam Bimata to approach her farming with newfound confidence and precision. Armed with knowledge, she no longer fears being misled by buyers and now sees opportunities to secure better business deals through the quality of her produce.
Expressing her gratitude, Madam Bimata stated, “This training has opened my eyes and equipped me with the skills to distinguish between good and subpar nuts. I now know the importance of proper farm hygiene and quality standards in producing market-ready cashews.”
Her story is a testament to how access to knowledge and training can transform livelihoods, dispel misconceptions, and create pathways to economic empowerment. Madam Bimata’s journey of learning and growth highlights the significant impact of programs like Green for Change Ghana and USAID Feed the Future Project in rural farming communities.