Their hands are raw, blistered and swollen. The men and women processing cashew nuts in Kilifi, Kenya use these sore hands to carefully extract the raw nut from the cashew fruit and shell. Many of them working without machines or protective equipment must avoid contact with the stinging liquid released from the shells. Photographs showing cashew workers’ hands were posted on Twitter on January 15, making waves in Kenya amid calls for reform. Local authorities have begun inspecting cashew nut facilities, even closing one down until it remedies its practices.
Cashew nuts are among the main cash crops grown in Kenya’s coastal region, particularly in the county of Kilifi. But they are also some of the most labour-intensive and hazardous nuts to produce, often causing injury to those tasked with extracting the edible nut from the toxic shell.
