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 cashew plantations now covering approximately 1.6 million hectares—nearly the size of Hawaii.
This agricultural expansion has resulted in the loss of up to 25% of native dry forests in some areas within four years, threatening unique ecosystems and 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 the socio-economic consequences, including a 'boom to bust' cycle that leaves farmers vulnerable when cashew prices collapse, contributing to food insecurity as traditional food crops are replaced. Additionally, the organization raises concerns about pesticide pollution from agrochemicals used in cashew farming, which contaminates soils and groundwater, and highlights occupational hazards for workers, particularly women, who suffer caustic burns during the manual de-shelling process due to exposure to hazardous oils.
Mighty Earth provides recommendations for creating a sustainable cashew industry, such as implementing traceability systems, halting expansion into native ecosystems, supporting crop diversification, funding research into sustainable practices, and advocating for bans on cashews linked to deforestation in major consumer markets like the US and EU.