African Cashew Alliance

Carlos Costa - President Executive Committee

Carlos Costa has more than 25 years' experience working in agribusiness, particularly cashews. He previously worked in several projects led by organizations like IFAD, USAID, FAO and ITC, and was Deputy Director of TechnoServe Mozambique. Today his own company is setting up a cashew processing factory in the north of Mozambique. Costa is also a consultant with a firm specializing in agri-business and cashew processing. As president of the Mozambique Cashew Processing Industry Association AICAJU, he represents the interests of the processors nationally and internationally. Costa is dedicated to the development of the cashew sector in Africa, believing that the value chain can function best if all sub-sectors are well-aligned and cooperating. Costa holds a Master of Science in Management (MBA) and a BA in Economics from the Hult International Business School in Boston and the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique. He has travelled extensively in Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America. Costa is fluent in Portugese and English and has a good understanding of French and Spanish.

Massogbe Touré- Vice President Executive Committee

Massogbe Touré (Côte d'Ivoire) is the Chief Executive of SITA (Société Ivoirienne de Traitement d’Anacarde), a cashew processor in Cote d’Ivoire. With more than 25 years of experience in the cashew sector, she is one of the first businesswomen in Cote d’Ivoire to develop cashew processing activities on a larger scale. For the last 12 years, Mme Toure has also been a cashew producer with 150 ha under cultivation. Mme Toure is dedicated to the development of the African cashew sector, and sits on the board of several industry organizations, including the Cashew Industry Body (Interprofession – OTIFA) in Cote d’Ivoire and the Women’s Organization for West Africa (AFAO). She is a member of the Global Federation of Business Women and the African Business Roundtable, and has travelled through Asia, Europe, Africa and the USA.

Idrisa Kilangi - Vice President Executive Committee

Mr Kilangi (Tanzania) isa cashew processor with 15 years experience in the sector. He is also the Chairman of the Cashewnut Processors Association of Tanzania.

Kees Blokland - Executive Committee Officer

Kees Blokland is director of Global Trading & Agency BV (GTA). He has been with Global Trading since 1993 and is pleased to support African cashew-producing countries by helping them set up processing capability. He believes cashew nuts should be processed in their country of origin to stimulate local economies, create employment and add export value, drawing foreign exchange income. Based in Holland, Global Trading is one of the world's leading brokers of nuts and dried fruit. Its dedication to the African cashew is part of a company goal to stimulate business in developing countries in order to grow local economies, resulting in income for the local community.

Parthiban Theodore - Executive Committee Officer

Mr Theodore is a General Manager at Olam International, overseeing the cashew business in Africa. He has been intimately involved with various parts of the cashew value chain since 2001. Olam is a founding member of the ACA. The company has set up processing facilities in Mozambique, Tanzania, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. 

 Mario Mendonça - Executive Committee Officer

Mr Mendonça (Guinea-Bissau)  has been involved with the sector since 1994 through the USAID-financed Trade and Investment Promotion Project (TIPS). As coordinator of EnterpriseWorks he participated in the creation of ACA in Bissau in 2006, and helped organize the first meeting of the ACA national committee. 

Mamadou Chabi - Executive Committee Officer

Mr Chabi is a cashew farmer with a 25 ha plantationin Bénin. He has acted as a Technical Advisor for government agencies for more than 20 years.