Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Perception, and Utilization

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale), a crop projecting Ghana internationally beside cocoa, is usually cultivated for its nut, for both local and international markets. The cashew apple is underutilized in many African countries. This study is aimed at determining the knowledge, perception, and utilizati...

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Main Authors: Yaw Gyau Akyereko, Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu, Francis Alemawor, Mary Adzanyo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:International Journal of Food Science
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/2749234
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author Yaw Gyau Akyereko
Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu
Francis Alemawor
Mary Adzanyo
author_facet Yaw Gyau Akyereko
Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu
Francis Alemawor
Mary Adzanyo
author_sort Yaw Gyau Akyereko
collection DOAJ
description Cashew (Anacardium occidentale), a crop projecting Ghana internationally beside cocoa, is usually cultivated for its nut, for both local and international markets. The cashew apple is underutilized in many African countries. This study is aimed at determining the knowledge, perception, and utilization of cashew apples in Ghana among stakeholders in the cashew value chain. Results from the study showed that the cashew industry consisted of farmers (89.1%), nut buyers (6.8%), extension officers (3.5%), and processors (0.6%) with uneven distribution of males (66.2%) and females (33.8%). Cashew apple utilization was low (<10%), though 84.37% had in-depth knowledge on the health benefits and value-added products made from the apples. Cashew apple is mainly utilized as fresh fruits or juice, with minor uses as an ingredient in food preparation, animal feed formulation, and production of mushroom, weedicide, ethanol, and manure. The cashew apple processors identified high cost of processing equipment, perishability of apples, lack of capital, market, technical know-how, and government support as challenges. Based on these findings, education of the stakeholders on value addition or processing of the apples at household and industrial levels and provision of stimulus packages to private processors are recommended to maximize cashew apple utilization in Ghana.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2314-5765
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publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Wiley
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series International Journal of Food Science
spelling doaj-art-22f9a54237f4418dbcefc9e77100981d2025-08-20T02:04:34ZengWileyInternational Journal of Food Science2314-57652022-01-01202210.1155/2022/2749234Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Perception, and UtilizationYaw Gyau Akyereko0Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu1Francis Alemawor2Mary Adzanyo3Department of Food and Post-Harvest TechnologyDepartment of Food Science and TechnologyDepartment of Food Science and TechnologyGIZCashew (Anacardium occidentale), a crop projecting Ghana internationally beside cocoa, is usually cultivated for its nut, for both local and international markets. The cashew apple is underutilized in many African countries. This study is aimed at determining the knowledge, perception, and utilization of cashew apples in Ghana among stakeholders in the cashew value chain. Results from the study showed that the cashew industry consisted of farmers (89.1%), nut buyers (6.8%), extension officers (3.5%), and processors (0.6%) with uneven distribution of males (66.2%) and females (33.8%). Cashew apple utilization was low (<10%), though 84.37% had in-depth knowledge on the health benefits and value-added products made from the apples. Cashew apple is mainly utilized as fresh fruits or juice, with minor uses as an ingredient in food preparation, animal feed formulation, and production of mushroom, weedicide, ethanol, and manure. The cashew apple processors identified high cost of processing equipment, perishability of apples, lack of capital, market, technical know-how, and government support as challenges. Based on these findings, education of the stakeholders on value addition or processing of the apples at household and industrial levels and provision of stimulus packages to private processors are recommended to maximize cashew apple utilization in Ghana.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/2749234
spellingShingle Yaw Gyau Akyereko
Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu
Francis Alemawor
Mary Adzanyo
Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Perception, and Utilization
International Journal of Food Science
title Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Perception, and Utilization
title_full Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Perception, and Utilization
title_fullStr Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Perception, and Utilization
title_full_unstemmed Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Perception, and Utilization
title_short Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Perception, and Utilization
title_sort cashew apples in ghana stakeholders knowledge perception and utilization
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/2749234
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AT francisalemawor cashewapplesinghanastakeholdersknowledgeperceptionandutilization
AT maryadzanyo cashewapplesinghanastakeholdersknowledgeperceptionandutilization