The Problem
Production Gap
Cambodia is one of the world's biggest raw cashew nut producers with nearly one million tons per year, unfortunately, Cambodian farmers aren't able to benefit from this position as the country's processing capacity is only 4% of its produce. This situation leads to the Cambodian cashew nut market being dominated by foreign powers and leaves the Cambodian farmers vulnerable.
A sector in distress
Cashew-nut price fluctuation
The instability of the market and the lack of local control lead to the incapacity of Cambodian farmers to generate sufficient income to sustain their livelihood.
Need for capital
Cashew nut processing is a very capital-intensive operation requiring a big investment in stock over a short period of time.
Lack of basic competivity
Expensive agriculture inputs and logistics costs lead to difficulty in developing profitable processing facilities in Cambodia.
The Solution
Unleashing the potential of Cambodia
To sustain the livelihood of Cambodian cashew farmers, allow their growth, and place Cambodia as a dominant player in the global cashew sector, we must strengthen Cambodia’s cashew sector processing capacity and allow local players to take control over the Cambodian cashew sector.
In addition, a part of the solution is to present our farmers with the opportunity to increase their production of their existing lands, such action will increase their income, provide them with a viable and concrete alternative to deforestation, and help our nation meet its objectives both in terms of conservation and social and economic growth.
How does CashewNotes mitigate the sector’s pitfalls?
Fixed above-market price
With your purchase of CashewNotes or nuts, we offer our farmers a fixed above-market price, helping them to combat the price fluctuation
Pre-fund purchase
By purchasing your notes ahead, you contribute to allowing pre-funding necessary stocks, thus mitigating the capital intensive nature of cashew processing
Premium Cambodia Brand
CashewNotes creates its own market, working directly with consumers and retail distributors, offering a premium proprietary Cambodian Brand.
Bettering the livelihood of our farmers
As is often the case in today's economy, the farmers are benefitting only from a small fraction of the retail price of their produce. CashewNotes is seeking to change that fact by proposing a new approach, one where the farmers get more control over the process and have the opportunity to grow and play a bigger role in their future.
The CashewNotes model does it in different ways that you can find here.
Over time, we will publish reports on the concrete impact the CashewNotes venture had on the development of our farmers.
A bonus for Cambodia
Positive Image
The global CashewNotes Campaign will inform foreign markets of the exceptional quality of Cambodian produce.
A hub of innovation
Resolving a complex issue innovatively and creatively will allow us to portray the potential and capacity of the Cambodian people to take an active part in the global innovation effort.
A healthy cashew-nuts sector
Cashew-nuts production is one of Cambodia's agriculture pillars. The success of CashewNotes will attract investors and allow the implementation of larger-scale processing facilities by creating the necessary added value. This, in turn, will allow the growth of the cashew-nuts sector as a whole
Create collective consciousness
For the nation to grow, it is paramount for the Cambodian people to realize the role they have to play in supporting their farmers, their SMEs, and more generally, their national produce. The success of CashewNotes will actively promote such values in Cambodia