The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) have handed over Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other essential health supplies to Mim Cashew and Agricultural Products Ltd., at Mim in the Asunafo North Municipality of Ahafo Region.
The supply of PPE and other sanitary materials such as antibacterial foam soaps, hand sanitisers, instant electric water heaters, paper towels, hand-dryers to Mim Cashew forms part of measures put in place by the Competitive Cashew Initiative (GIZ/ComCashew) – funded by the German and Swiss governments among others, and implemented by GIZ to support actors in the cashew value chain to reduce the financial impact of COVID-19 and sustain jobs.
Mim Cashew has operated in Ghana for the past 12 years and currently employs about 225 people. The facility has the capacity to process more than 600 metric tonnes of raw cashew nut annually; primarily from its own certified organic plantation within Ghana. It also boasts a distillery, where cashew-apple brandy is produced. Its ultimate goal is to grow the best quality cashew kernels in the world, all produced and packed locally in Ghana.
Receiving the items, the General Manager of Mim Cashew, Mr. Mathew Porter, said: “It’s been tough dealing with the current pandemic; however, just as is being done in most places, we have also put in place measures at our facility to ensure social distancing”.
According to Mr. Porter, operations had to break for a while to put in place measures to ensure social distancing at the facility and prevent spread of the virus. “Since operations resumed, management has been working to ensure that these measures are strictly adhered to. One of the measures is a shift system for workers.”
Mr. Porter was very appreciative after receiving the items, and promised they would be used for their intended purpose. GIZ/ComCashew is committed to continuously supporting cashew processors, especially during this current pandemic. It had earlier donated similar items to USIBRAS, Ghana’s biggest cashew processing company at Prampram in the Greater Accra Region.
