News from the Field

Boiling the shea nuts.

The seeds of the shea tree have been used for centuries in west and central Africa to produce foodstuffs, soap and candles. Starting this year the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been participating in a project to further exploit the tree's treasures and help potentially hundreds of thousands of rural women and their families in Ghana to improve their standard of living.

It is estimated that 600,000 women in northern Ghana already depend on the sale of shea butter and related products to be able to pay for the education of their children, for medical expenses and for basic foodstuffs.

The two-year, $246,000 project was launched earlier this year under the auspices of the United Nations Development Program/Japan Women in Development Fund with several important aims.

By strengthening the shea butter industry overall it will provide numerous women with larger incomes to be able to more effectively tackle such problems as malnutrition and help pay for better schooling for their children and improved maternal and child health care.

Longer term, in addition to supplying the domestic Ghanaian market, it is anticipated that shea butter and related commodities such as oil and soap could be exported to surrounding countries. And in addition to rural women, young people will be encouraged to participate, alleviating major unemployment black spots.

JICA has produced a 'butter production manual' with the aim of helping to raise the overall quality of the product. UNDP provides project management and coordination and has encouraged the government to incorporate the shea industry into national policy.

Other agencies such as AFRASIA Business Council, Africa 2000 Network (A2N) and local women's groups are improving work conditions and environment for the women, exploring new markets and teaching improved management skills and techniques.