The Global Shea Alliance (GSA) and ‘Invest for Jobs’, an initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, today, officially launched a two-year project at an event in Tamale, northern Ghana.

The project - “Improving Women Shea Collectors’ Capacity,” seeks to promote investment in the shea value chain in Ghana. It will benefit about 30,000 women through training, job creation and investments.

The project – a public-private partnership - has an objective to improve the capacity of women shea collectors in Ghana and boost profitability of the sector. It will also help remove any identified investment barriers through improving product quality, facilitating direct sourcing, and further developing other public-private partnerships.

“The Global Shea Alliance represents a strategic partner in its leading role and effort to drive a more profitable shea industry. The partnerships will foster investments, overcome related challenges, and create urgently needed local jobs particularly for women and youth in the North of Ghana,” highlighted the Head of Programme for the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation, at GIZ-Ghana, Mr. Gerald Guskowski. ‘Invest for Jobs’ is the brand for the ‘Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation;’ It is implemented among others by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Shea offers technical and health benefits in the form of cooking oil as well as food and cosmetic ingredient. European companies dominate the shea industry in West Africa, buying more than 80% for exports to Europe, Asia, and America. In Ghana, 600,000 women collect and process shea across the six northern regions. Many of these women are breadwinners of their households and rely on this line of work to take care of pressing family needs (FAO, 2017).

“Women cooperatives are key stakeholders in the empowerment agenda of the Global Shea Alliance. Participation by rural and urban women in the shea sector in general increases their economic independence through the income they generate from the activity,” explained the Managing Director of GSA – Mr. Aaron Adu in an address at the launch.

In an address to launch the event, the Savannah Regional Minister, Hon. Saeed Muhazu Jibril, expressed optimism that the project will go a long way to empower women shea collectors. “80% of Africa’s shea exports are currently sold as raw nuts to large industrial processors. This training project will equip our women collectors and processors in adding value to the shea products which will translate into increased household income levels.”

Shea is a primary source of livelihood for women living in northern Ghana and is one of the few crops where women control their revenue. The project will develop 10 women shea cooperatives and strengthen 50 women shea cooperatives in Ghana. It will also be an avenue for job creation, investments in the shea value chain with an overall positive impact on climate change.

The launch attracted several women shea Cooperatives as well as European and local private sector partners co-investing in the project such as Bunge Loders Croklaan, Fuji Oil Europe, Mother Shea Ltd, OLENEX Sarl, Savannah Fruits Co. Ltd and Sunlife Ltd. The project will improve the capacity of cooperatives in the areas of quality processing and business management.