BioValley’s Organic Cashew Project: Social and Environmental Impacts

Commencement of a special mission

The organic industry nowadays is supposed to be an emergent trending and it development rapidly and bring to human and the nature many long term benefit in the future; as a resutls, it fulfills the mission of sustainable development for the Earth and human being.

Since the beginning of our organic cashew project, BioValley has been focused on identifying the social benefits that the project may provide, and we have come to understand that it has many meanings and the humanity that we are seeking. We create Truecoop as a farmer cooperative with a distinctive business model that distinguishes it from conventional corporations. Truecoop assists farmers in improving their standard of living through social initiatives like building charity houses, donating saplings for cultivation, providing assistance during the Covid-19 period, providing bikes for school-age children, etc. Additionally, Truecoop supports the government in efforts to increase green space, combat soil erosion, and address climate change.

Figure 1. Truecoop supports farmers in cashew saplings

Which aspects of social impact are performed by BioValley?

In the past, farmers grew cashew primarily without being aware of the proper cultivating techniques, which resulted in low harvest production. BioValley/Truecoop is aware of this and establish the farmer cooperative. They also conduct annual training sessions for farmers on topics like pruning and canopy construction, boosting the use of organic inputs, fostering natural enemies, and managing weeds.

Figure 2. BioValley organizes training program for famers

The cashew output is rising steadily each year as a result of those training programs, and our minority farmers now have better lives and are more motivated to practice organic farming.

To put it into practice, we “give a bonus” to farmers who work so hard to grow organic cashews by paying them more each kilogram of raw cashew nuts. We do this to make sure the farmer is only growing organic cashews and is still providing the trees with natural fertilizer.

Supporting more than 35,000 saplings for farmers

Every year, we organize events to give out bio-fertilizers, good saplings, and high yield to farmers so they can have “capital” to cultivate the organic farming. Aside from that, Truecoop provided bicycles as a way to motivate the kids to attend school and gave financial support during the difficult Covid period to help them get through it.

Figure 3. Truecoop supports farmers in cashew saplings

Figure 4. Truecoop gives students bicycles to school

Moreover, our organic cashew products are Fairtrade certified which aims to promote better trading conditions and sustainability for farmers and workers in developing countries. By participating in fair trade, farmers can receive a fair price for their products, which helps to provide them with a stable income and improve their standard of living and build more sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families.

For the nature: Contribute to helping the government more than 2,000 ha green vacant lands and barren hills

At the moment our farm areas reach to over 4,000 ha in Phuoc Binh national park, Ninh Thuan, Viet Nam and we are planning to increase the number to 5000 ha in this year.

Ninh Thuan government is promoting cashew farming on the national park can have environmental benefits by preventing erosion and increasing the greening area. By planting cashew trees, farmers can help to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion, which can help to protect the environment and preserve the natural resources of the area. Additionally, the trees can help to increase the green cover in the area, which can have a positive impact on the climate and local ecosystems.

BioValley’s commitment to social responsibility is reflected in our organic cashew project, which not only benefits farmers by improving their livelihoods and promoting fair trade practices, but also contributes to environmental sustainability by preventing erosion and increasing the greening area. Through their unique business model and social activities, BioValley are setting an example for other corporations to follow, demonstrating that sustainable development can be achieved through meaningful engagement with local communities and responsible environmental management.