Reporting from Bouna, I observed a 3-hectare cashew plantation where Kouamé Ouattara, a local farmer, feels effectively unemployed this season. His orchard has yielded almost nothing. “Three years ago, I could harvest 500 kg per hectare. But now, I can’t even collect two bags of cashews from all 3 hectares,” he lamented.

Ouattara attributes this dire situation to a profound shift in the rainy season. “Normally, we expect heavy rains between November and December, which allows the cashew trees to flower. But this year, the rain ceased in October,” he explained. “October, November, December, January, February – there was no rain. Once the flowering fails, you have to wait until the next year. So, the season is a complete failure.”

The repercussions extend beyond cashew farmers. Beekeepers, who maintain hives within these cashew plantations, are also experiencing near-nonexistent honey production. “We don’t have enough honey right now,” stated Koffi Ouattara, president of the Koflangué beekeepers’ association. “Last year, we produced 100 liters of honey. This year, it’s only 30 liters. For us, this represents a significant loss.”

Addressing Cultivation Practices

Beyond the undeniable climatic factors, Dr. Sibirina Soro, a research-lecturer at the University of Daloa and coordinator of the national cashew research project, points to inadequate cultivation practices as a contributing cause. “A large part of this is linked to the density of the orchards. Many orchards resemble forests; the initial planting density was not maintained,” he elaborated. “Today, we are advising farmers to rehabilitate these orchards to achieve an optimal density. The recommended average is 100 trees per hectare.”

Dr. Soro also organizes annual training sessions to combat destructive insect pests. He emphasizes the need for enhanced support for farmers, particularly because Ivorian cashew producers typically do not use chemical products in their fields, making them even more susceptible to losses when harvests are poor.