BASELINE SURVEY REPORT FOR THE FAIR TRADE CASHEW NUT VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT
Project Background
Ten Senses Africa was founded in 2008 as the world’s first fair trade certified macadamia producer. The company has since developed two registered fair trade farmer groups in Kenya, with a total of 700 farmers. Currently, TSA processes roughly 100 tons of macadamia per year in a facility in Nairobi. All products are exported to the USA and Europe, where TSA has established markets for fair trade nuts.
World Concern (WC) has worked with cashew farmers in Lamu providing financial services for the last 4 years. WC brought to the TSA’s attention the need and potential to develop fair trade export of cashew from these farmer groups, as a way to improve farm family livelihoods in the area. World Concern and TSA have worked together on economic development and agricultural projects in South Sudan and in Kenya over the past 7 years.
Objective:
The overall objective of the baseline and livelihoods survey was to provide reliable baseline information based on indicators that were to be measured as well as the current livelihoods situation for the selected targeted community in Lamu. This information was used as a benchmark against which changes and progress of achievements could be measured and evaluated later on, using verifiable indicators.