In the rolling hills of Benin, the small African nation known as the birthplace of Voodoo, a single crop taken for granted has changed the dynamic in the country’s burgeoning middle class: the cashew. Supporting more than 200,000 smallholder families, cashew nuts are more than a snack. They are the nation’s second-largest agricultural export, generating an estimated $437 million in annual revenue.

Yet for decades, hundreds of thousands of farmers remained trapped in a cycle of subsistence living. They were invisible to the global financial systems that could help them scale their operations. The CajùLab initiative, a groundbreaking collaboration between TechnoServe and Alteia, is altering the narrative by using artificial intelligence (AI) to put these farmers on the map. 

The Cost of Being Unbanked

For many, poverty in Benin is a structural issue of being “unbanked.” Without formal land titles or recognized maps of their property, small-hold farmers lack the collateral necessary to secure loans from their government. To a local bank, a farmer without formal land documents is treated like a borrower with no assets.

A lack of data creates a credit desert. Families cannot afford the fertilizers, irrigation or high-quality saplings required to increase their yields. Consider the story of Bibs Saka Kota, a cashew farmer in Benin:

Before engaging with the modern tools provided by the BeninCajù program, Biba struggled with low productivity. Years before, her two hectares of land yielded only five bags of nuts. After adopting the smart climate model, her harvest has tripled to 15 bags. “Cashew allows me to live,” she explained.

Cashew Mapping in Benin

CajùLab works to bridge this gap through machine learning and satellite technology. Using high-quality satellite imagery from partners like Planet Labs, researchers at the University of Minnesota, in collaboration with TechnoServe, developed algorithms to identify cashew plantations across Benin. These models analyze temporal satellite data to detect vegetation patterns and map where cashew trees are grown, even on small, irregular farms. 

The system can distinguish cashew orchards from other land types, such as forests or bare land, with more than 85% accuracy. This is a feat previously thought impossible due to the irregular, intercropped nature of African smallholder farms.

The Impact of the CajùLab Initiative

This breakthrough leaves a technological footprint of a farmer’s tangible assets. When a farmer approaches a financial institution equipped with a verified geospatial map of their land, they present objective proof of their productive capacity. These images demonstrate to local banks that these families are low-risk, high-reward investments. 

This transparency unlocks the microcapital needed to break the cycle of poverty in Benin and reliance on subsistence farming. It allows parents to invest in the future of their land rather than survive the current harvest. The impact of CajùLab extends from the soil to the atmosphere. 

A tree’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide has financial value. The initiative enables farmers to map the precise amount of carbon their cashew trees absorb. Through AI, the project facilitates the integration of smallholders into the fight against climate instability. 

For a rural family, these carbon credits represent direct cash payments. They can use these payments to support their children and future generations.

– Haydn Goodboy

Haydn is based in Massachusetts, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons