Mootoo Cashew Suppliers Limited
Mooto Cashew Suppliers Ltd sells hybrid cashew tree seedlings with an early maturity period and very high yield. This has won them a large market from local farmers and the government.
The project is being implemented in the Western province of Zambia which is highly affected by deforestation caused by charcoal burning, the main source of livelihood in the area. It is aimed at reforesting the area with hybrid drought-resistant cashew trees with an early maturity; this will enhance the region’s ecosystem and provided a viable livelihood alternative to the communities in it.
- Sensitising charcoal burners in a highly deforested area on the effects of deforestation
- Providing alternative sources of income to local communities (targeting 70% women) by training and supplying cashew seedlings as alternative sources of income
- Facilitating the training of grafters to produce new trees
- Reduce deforestation by diverting charcoal burners to cashew farming and promoting reforestation
- Planting 500 trees absorbing 24,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per annum
- Supplying 3000 trees to local farmers absorbing 144,000 pounds of CO2 per annum
- Creating 26 part-time and local jobs
- Helping generate an income of about $1,346 per annum for farmers
Partners
The Ministry of Agriculture trains and certifies grafters and buys seedlings for those farmers who cannot afford to buy them for themselves.
The University of Barotseland provides strategic guidance and provides (technical) advice on good agricultural practice and agronomy.
