The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced that it is strengthening agribusiness value chains in Côte d’Ivoire with a loan of up to US$60 million (€51 million) for cashew nut processing major Dorado SA.
Dorado operates one of the largest cashew processing facilities in Côte d’Ivoire and exports its products to Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Asia.
Dorado is the first of its kind to incorporate an online, single-roof, mechanized processing cycle with a capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes of cashew nuts annually. The facility is also home to the world’s largest Cashew Nut Shell Oil (CNSL) plant.
This financing will support the company’s working capital needs, enabling its subsidiaries in Côte d’Ivoire to increase their sourcing of raw cashew nuts for local processing and export to international markets, thereby reinforcing domestic value addition, enhancing supply-chain resilience, and supporting rural livelihoods.
Dorado operates one of the largest cashew processing facilities in Côte d’Ivoire and exports its products to Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Asia.
Sustainability-linked loan
Structured as a sustainability-linked loan, this investment will enable Dorado to increase sustainably sourced cashews’ share of total production, as well as improve efficiency and traceability across its operations.
It will also introduce climate-smart agricultural practices for its suppliers and establish a deforestation risk assessment framework aligned with international standards.
A technical cooperation package will support human capital development across the company’s workforce and supply chain, enhancing financial inclusion for smallholder farmers and strengthening supply-chain practices.
This will include the certification of at least 10 cooperatives, covering a minimum of 4,000 farmers, under the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard, alongside the establishment of 20 village savings and loan associations (VSLAs) to improve access to finance and strengthen the resilience of rural communities.
Support will also extend to the company’s seasonal workforce, the majority of whom are women, helping to improve economic opportunities and financial literacy.
Côte d’Ivoire became an EBRD country of operation in 2025. The Bank’s work in the country focuses on supporting sustainable infrastructure, strengthening private-sector competitiveness, and promoting green and inclusive economic growth.
