UN: Capacity-Building Project to Reduce Post-Harvest Cashew Losses in The Gambia
Stakeholders from The Gambia’s cashew industry participated in a weeklong capacity-building program in Türkiye in early October. Implemented by the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries with expertise from the TÜBİTAK MAM Food Research Group, the training was part of an ongoing project to reduce post-harvest cashew nut losses in The Gambia. The program, which included lectures on post-harvest management and site visits to processing production lines, aimed to show how low-cost technologies and post-harvest processing can enhance cashew yields.
Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana: Deal to Deepen Cooperation on Cashews
Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana have reached a deal to deepen their cooperation on the cultivation, processing and marketing of cashews, a key driver of both countries’ agricultural economies. As reported by The Statesman, President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire and President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana agreed to enhance their cooperation. Ministers of both countries have been instructed to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the cashew industry to improve farmers’ livelihoods and promote economic growth.
UK: Sustainability Reporting Standards
In its 2023 green finance strategy, the UK government laid plans for assessing the endorsement of two standards of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation —namely General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information (IFRS S1) and Climate-related Disclosures (IFRS S2). If endorsed, these would become the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. The government aims to make endorsement decisions on the two standards by the first quarter of 2025. These standards will form part of a wider Sustainability Disclosure Reporting framework led by the UK Treasury. Once the assessment process is complete, and subject to a positive endorsement, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will use these standards to require UK-listed companies to report sustainability-related information to their investors, pending a consultation process.
USA: New Traceability Recordkeeping Requirements for Certain Foods
New requirements are set to come into effect on January 20, 2026, under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) final rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods (Food Traceability Final Rule). This rule establishes traceability recordkeeping requirements, beyond those in existing regulations, for persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the Food Traceability List, which includes nut butters.
USA: Study Highlights Previously Unrecognized Wildfire Threat to Nut Trees
Given the rising incidence of megafires across the globe, a recent study published in Nature Plants examined the effect on nut trees of prolonged exposure to dense wildfire smoke over several days or weeks. The authors present compelling evidence that dense smoke plumes negatively impact carbohydrate stores in almond, pistachio and walnut trees. The findings show that smoke causes a significant decrease in total non-structural carbohydrates, which persists through the trees’ dormancy period into the next season’s bloom, leading to a reduced yield.