Mighty Earth is an environmental advocacy organization focused on exposing and addressing the negative impacts of cashew cultivation in Côte d'Ivoire. The organization highlights how the rapid expansion of cashew farming over the past 40 years has led to significant deforestation, with approximately 1.6 million hectares of land now dedicated to cashew plantations.
This agricultural shift threatens native dry forests and biodiversity, including habitats within protected areas like the UNESCO World Heritage site Comoé National Park, which is home to critically endangered species such as the Western Chimpanzee. Mighty Earth also documents socio-economic issues, including food insecurity as farmers abandon traditional food crops for cashew production, and hazardous working conditions, particularly for women involved in manual de-shelling who risk caustic burns from cashew oil.
The organization provides recommendations for creating a sustainable cashew industry, advocating for traceability systems, halting expansion into native ecosystems, supporting crop diversification for farmers, and promoting forest restoration. Mighty Earth targets consumer markets in the US and Europe, which account for about two-thirds of global cashew consumption, urging regulatory action and corporate responsibility.