Women at the heart of shea must receive a fairer share

Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for greater investment in Ghana’s shea industry to ensure that women who have sustained the sector for generations receive a larger share of the wealth it creates.

Speaking at the World Shea Expo in Tamale, Professor Opoku-Agyemang said Ghana must move beyond producing shea as a raw commodity. She called for more investment in processing, innovation and businesses within shea-producing communities.

She described shea as “women’s gold” but said the term must translate into greater economic benefits for the women who drive the industry.

“If that description is to be truly meaningful, the women at the heart of the industry must receive a fairer share of the value it creates,” she said.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang said women in the shea sector need better access to finance, technology and markets. She also called for more opportunities for women to establish and own businesses across the shea value chain.

Her call comes as Ghana seeks to increase the economic value of its shea industry through local processing, innovation and stronger links to international markets.

According to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ghana produces an estimated 130,000 to 150,000 metric tonnes of shea nuts each year. The sector is valued at about $350 million.

Ghana could increase annual shea production to 400,000 metric tonnes, GNA reported. This would require greater investment in processing, mechanised harvesting, storage and logistics.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang also highlighted the proposed Women’s Development Bank as a potential source of financing for women entrepreneurs.

She said many women in the sector do not necessarily need large loans. Instead, they need financing that matches the scale and nature of their businesses.

“Many women are not asking for extraordinary sums; they need accessible, appropriate financing that lets them grow the businesses they already understand and sustain,” she said.

The World Shea Expo has brought together women’s cooperatives, processors, exporters, financial institutions, researchers, entrepreneurs and international buyers.

The three-day event is focused on investment, innovation, processing, branding and market access in Ghana’s shea industry.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang also urged stakeholders to invest in research to secure the future of the sector.

At a demonstration farm in the Futa Community, she took part in the symbolic planting of specially selected shea seedlings. The activity highlighted research into new shea varieties and their potential to improve productivity.

She called for stronger links between universities, research institutions, farmers and industry.

According to the Vice President, such partnerships can help Ghana improve shea production, develop new products and create opportunities for young people.

“With the right investment, research and financing, Ghana’s shea belt can become a stronger centre for processing, innovation and commerce,” she said.

The government is also seeking to increase local processing and ensure that more value from Ghana’s shea industry remains in producing communities.

Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, said the John Mahama Shea Demonstration Farm in Tamale would serve as a research and development facility.

He also said researchers have developed a hybrid shea variety that can mature much earlier than the traditional wild variety.

The World Shea Expo is being held under the theme, “From Local Commodity to Global Brand: Accelerating Women and Youth-Led Value Addition in Shea.”

The expo highlights Ghana’s push to transform shea from a largely raw commodity into a stronger industry built around value addition, processing, research and entrepreneurship.

For Professor Opoku-Agyemang, the broader goal is to ensure that Ghana’s shea industry creates more businesses, jobs and income for the communities that have protected and sustained the resource for generations.