NESMAC grew out of SUNESMA, which primarily assisted emerging growers with income support until their trees produced nuts.
NESMAC supports growers Clubs (as well as individual growers) with information and training once crops of nuts are being produced. The committee deals with association wide business
and provides leadership.

The roots of NESMAC lie in the first macadamia farmers in Neno.
In the early 1990's, about 90 farmers engaged in macadamia production dispersed around Neno. Within a few years the initial group had doubled to 200.

The group's wide geographic spread and large size made it unmanageable.
The commencement of the SUNESMA project divided these farmers up on geographic basis into village based
clubs that could meet on a weekly basis.

NESMAC is a democratic organization. Each village club elects a chair, secretary and treasurer who manage the affairs of that club on a voluntary basis.
These elections are mirrored by the election of the executive committee.
Each club elects two representatives to the NESMAC executive committee.
These elections occur every three years.
In this way the village based clubs are represented in NESMAC's bi-monthly meetings.

The project, making the most of meagre resources, has nurtured independence in the NESMAC membership and
empowered farmers to participate directly in the programme.
The organization trains skilled farmers
who in turn pass on this training to
others in their vicinity.

The impact of the sessions allows
expertise to be shared without the
need for a fully funded project and has enabled a 'trainer of trainers' programme to be established and developed.
In this way NESMAC members conduct much of the training, administration
and monitoring of the organisation.