Towards a sound cooperative business Masasi High Quality Farmers’ Products ltd (MHQFP) is a smallholder cashew farmers organization. MHQFP provides training and agro-inputs to its members, and collects the cashew from its members for joint marketing. Farmers of MHQFP have opted to focus on organic and fair-trade production. Together with strong partners in Tanzania and EU, MHQFP develops a value chain aimed at bringing Tanzania organic and fair-trade cashew nut to the EU supermarket shelves.

Agriterra will support MHQFP with the establishment of a sound cooperative fundament, which is able to adequately manage to growth ambitions of MHQFP. An action plan 2012 has been developed outlining activities to strengthen and professionalize MHQFP in the area of financial management, business-structure, human resources, constitution and internal procedures. Furthermore it includes activities to improve the business plan and to mobilize financial means for the business ambitions like expanding and increasing their current production capacity. 

Considerable progress has been made in 2012 though a lot of ground work still needs to be done and therefore Agriterra will support MHQFP in 2013 with the establishment of a sound cooperative fundament, which is able to adequately manage the business ambitions of MHQFP. 

The action plan 2013 comprises activities to strengthen and professionalize MHQFP in terms of ownership structure, HRM, financial management, strategic planning and development of a bankable business plan for the processing factory. 

Expertise will be sourced from the Dutch cooperative sector to assist MHQFP in setting up a separate business structure for its processing facility. Furthermore Agriterra - MHQFP will invest heavily in training in all aspects related to cooperative governance and business management.

Masasi High Quality Farmers’ Products ltd (MHQFP) is a smallholder cashew farmers organization. MHQFP provides training and agro-inputs to its members, and collects the cashew from its members for joint marketing. Farmers of MHQFP have opted to focus on organic and fair-trade production. Together with strong partners in Tanzania and EU, MHQFP develops a value chain aimed at bringing Tanzania organic and fair-trade cashew nut to the EU supermarket shelves.

MHQFP attracted the attention of Intersnack. Intersnack is the market leader of cashew as snack nut in the EU market and a regular customer of OLAM. Intersnack intends to create a specialty brand for the Dutch and German supermarket, using the cashew and the story of MHQFP as unique selling points. In order to develop a successful brand, Intersnack aims at a market of 250 mt of processed nuts. This would require MHQFP to produce and process over 1150 ton raw nut – more than double its current capacity.

In order to reach this demand, MHQFP will construct two more processing plants. For each new plant, MHQFP expects to attract USD 125,000 as loan or equity. MHQFP has developed a business plan to gives information on the operations of the previous and current season, and projections how the two new plants can increase annual turnover and profitability. The growth ambitions require efforts from MHQFP in the area of professionalizing the organization, the supply chain, the organization of farmers as well as the production side.

Agriterra will support MHQFP with the establishment of a sound cooperative fundament, which is able to adequately manage to growth ambitions of MHQFP. An action plan 2012 has been developed outlining activities to strengthen and professionalize MHQFP in the area of financial management, business-structure, human resources, constitution and internal procedures. Furthermore it includes activities to improve the business plan and to mobilize financial means for the business ambitions.

Considerable progress has been made in 2012 though a lot of ground work still needs to be done and therefore Agriterra will support MHQFP in 2013 with the establishment of a sound cooperative fundament, which is able to adequately manage the business ambitions of MHQFP. 

The action plan 2013 comprises activities to strengthen and professionalize MHQFP in terms of ownership structure, HRM, financial management, strategic planning and development of a bankable business plan for the processing factory. 

Expertise will be sourced from the Dutch cooperative sector to assist MHQFP in setting up a separate business structure for its processing facility. Furthermore Agriterra - MHQFP will invest heavily in training in all aspects related to cooperative governance and business management.

* Business plan finalised and able to present to financiers
* Well runned organisation with financial system and principles in place