Agroclimatology of Cashew Production in Guinea Bissau

In Guinea-Bissau, the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) plays an important socioeconomic role and contributes to household food security. To determine the conditions favorable to this crop, relationships were established between production on the one hand and climatic and agronomic conditions on the other. The results showed that the end date of the rainy season and the cumulative rainfall of the preceding months are strongly correlated with cashew nut yield. Indeed, late-season rains allow for the accumulation of water in the soil, which is favorable for the cashew tree's reproductive development during the dry season. These results are of paramount importance for monitoring and forecasting cashew production. Planting density and age also play a very important role in cashew yield and quality, which decrease as planting density increases. Hence the need to educate cashew producers on optimal planting density for improved productivity.