Creating Local Jobs in Southern Haiti

From June 2020 to May 2021, Peace Winds implemented a cashew nut processing and farmers’ cooperative project in Haiti aimed at supporting women’s livelihood groups and revitalizing the local economy. Cashew apple wine, produced by women’s groups like AFEDEM, is a new product that resulted from the cooperative centered around Haiti’s important cashew farming. As Peace Winds works with farmers to help expand market opportunities, this valuable wine is currently certified for markets in both Haiti and Côte d'Ivoire.

When we think of cashew nuts, we generally think of the part of the plant that is the seed--the brown part pictured in the third photo. However, the orange fruit--the cashew apple--has a sweet-sour taste, contains lots of antioxidants, and has five times the vitamin C of an orange. These health benefits give cashew apples a reputation in Haiti for being an effective measure against infectious diseases like cholera and the common cold. 

The flavor of this cashew apple wine is deep and hearty, similar to apricot liquor. As it ages, the color becomes darker, changing from yellow to purple, and the taste becomes deeper.

Although AFEDEM’s members are well-versed in the making of this unique wine, it took them a lot of practice, trials, and failures until they were able to meet export quality standards. “I didn’t know how to make cashew apple wine before,” said AFEDEM member Mirtha Bernard, “but now I am confident. You get to make it with your own hands and teach others! The skills you learn through the long training period are the secret to a great wine.”

It usually takes three to four months to ferment the wine, but thanks to a special yeast and some advanced technology, AFEDEM’s fermentation process can be completed in one to two months. Fermentation begins when the cashew apple wine juice is placed in the container pictured in the fourth photo. CO2 gas is forced out through a syringe, and the process ends when all the CO2 has exited the container.

Haitian women not only learn vocational skills through activities like these, but they also gain business and budgeting skills that help them find income opportunities, support their families, and achieve career and income goals. Peace Winds invests resources to support these important economic empowerment programs, providing sustainable livelihoods for women like the members of AFEDEM. Please consider a financial gift to Peace Winds in support of this and other high impact projects in Haiti.

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