By King Amoah
Kintampo, Bono East Region
While the golden harvest of cashew nuts have long been the cornerstone of livelihood for many farmers a visionary approach is now revealing a sweeter and a surprising complementary source of income: organic honey.
Mr. Sidawa Okra Chairman of the Kintampo Cooperative Cashew Farmers And Marketing Union is spearheading this dual pronged strategy and advocating not only for enhanced cashew production but also for the establishment of a processing factory in Kintampo to unlock job creation opportunities.
Speaking to the Correspondent in an interview, Mr. Okra expressed deep concern over the persistent challenges confronting the cashew industry.
Growing cashew is a commendable pursuit, he acknowledged but we are constantly battling the instability of prices a situation often exacerbated by the predatory practices of middlemen of whom many are foreign nationals who descend upon our farming communities to exploit our hard work.
This unchecked exploitation chairman Okra lamented often leaves cashew farmers to operate at a loss.
Mr. Okra’s plea for immediate government intervention is not just a call for fair trade, it is a vision for a more diversified and resilient agricultural sector.
While the foreign exporters turned village middlemen continue to undermine our efforts he firmly believes that if the government establish a Cashew Processing Factory, it would solve the cashew farmers problems once and for all.
This would add significant value to our produce and create substantial employment for the youth, he stressed.
However amidst these pressing concerns Mr. Okra offered a compelling message of hope t which is rooted in an ingenious synergy between cashew cultivation and apiculture
He has discovered that the very essence of cashew – its sweet fragrance – acts as a powerful attractration for bees.
This natural affinity he explained can be harnessed to generate a secondary income stream through organic honey production.
Cashew farms when managed strategically, can be transformed into a thriving hubs for organic honey production, Mr. Okra revealed.
We can attract bees into a specially designed cage boxes strategically placed within the cashew orchards.
The bees drawn by the cashew blossoms will then produce high quality organic honey for public consumption.
This innovative approach is not merely theoretical. Mr. Okra has been successfully implementing this bees formula on his own cashew farm since 2018, yielding large quantities of organic honey alongside his cashew harvest.
As I harvest my cashew nuts I also harvest honey, he shared with a sense of pride.
Adding that this is a direct addition to his income, transforming a single crop into a dual revenue generator.
The beauty of this method according to Mr. Okra lies in its simplicity and accessibility.
A farmer only needs small boxes to place them at a vantage points within the cashew farms. Then, the deal is completed, he explained.
. He proudly stated that since 2018, he has diligently trained numerous cashew farmers in this organic honey production technology. These farmers he confirmed, are now not only benefiting from their cashew harvests but are also generating additional income through their burgeoning honey ventures.
