Support’for’GSA’SustainabilityProject · PDF fileSupport’for’GSA’SustainabilityProject! Research(on(three(labour(and(development(sustainability*issues! ... SIDA# Swedish!International!Development!Cooperation!Agency!

Ergon research: shea sustainability concerns labour/development FINAL 1

Support for GSA Sustainability Project Research on three labour and development sustainability issues 1. Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 2

1.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2

1.2. Rural women’s empowerment ......................................................................................................... 2

1.3. Decent working conditions ............................................................................................................... 3

1.4. Rural communities’ development ..................................................................................................... 3

1.5. Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................................................. 4

Acronyms ...................................................................................................................................................... 5

2. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 6

2.1. Background ....................................................................................................................................... 6

2.2. Purpose of the research .................................................................................................................... 6

2.3. Research methodology ..................................................................................................................... 6

2.4. Shea production/industry context .................................................................................................... 6

3 Rural women’s empowerment .......................................................................................................... 8

3.1 Summary of rural women’s empowerment issues ......................................................................... 8

3.2 Context ............................................................................................................................................. 8

3.3 Rural Women’s Empowerment Priorities ......................................................................................... 8

3.4 Sustainability Issues and Opportunities for Rural Women’s Empowerment .................................... 9

4 Decent working conditions .............................................................................................................. 12

4.1 Summary of decent working conditions issues ............................................................................. 12

4.2 Context ........................................................................................................................................... 12

4.3 Sustainability Issues and Opportunities for Decent Working Conditions ....................................... 13

5 Rural communities development ..................................................................................................... 15

5.1 Summary of rural communities development issues .................................................................... 15

5.2 Context ........................................................................................................................................... 15

5.3 Sustainability Issues and Opportunities for Rural Community Development ................................. 16

6 Media coverage of sustainability issues in the shea industry ........................................................... 19

7 Conclusion and recommendations ................................................................................................... 22

7.1 Clear identification of sustainability concerns in shea .................................................................... 22

7.2 Increasing focus and investment on links between agriculture and sustainability concerns ......... 22

7.3 Future-‐proofing shea ...................................................................................................................... 22

8 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................... 23

Appendix: Relevant NGO and Aid Agency Programmes ........................................................................... 25


1. Executive Summary

1.1. Introduction The Global Shea Alliance has commissioned Ergon Associates to research three key sustainability issues for the industry: rural women’s empowerment; labour rights; and rural communities’ development.

This research identifies and provides evidence of issues and opportunities for the on-‐going sustainability of the industry with a particular focus on women and rural communities.

The research took place in May 2013 and involved a review of academic journals, NGO and aid agency programmes, as well as media articles (Section 6) commenting on social and economic aspects of the shea industry in 6 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Mali.

The research found evidence of a number of concerns and opportunities identified under each sustainability issue. These are summarised here and outlined in detail (including specific opportunities for action) in Sections 3, 4 and 5, with a table summary of key facts and issues at the start of each section.

We have also included a list of relevant NGO and aid agency programmes, collected during research, for GSA future reference.

Shea industry context Key characteristics of the shea industry are also highlighted:

• Shea grows in the wild as well as on managed farm land (of other crops). • The vast majority of shea collectors are women and girls. • Most shea is traded domestically and processed by labour intensive traditional methods. • There is growing international demand, but the export market is largely for shea kernels rather

than processed shea.

1.2. Rural women’s empowerment Shea collection and processing is important for rural women’s livelihoods as they do not usually own agricultural land, whilst shea growing in the wild is an accessible crop for them.

Key concerns Key opportunities

There are several concerns regarding the potential for the shea industry to empower women.

• Security of natural resources: ongoing access to shea is not guaranteed, given agricultural development in the regions where it grows and women’s lack of control over land use.

• Access to markets/adding value/fair returns: women are usually dependent on selling shea products to traders and may not get a good price, as they lack bargaining power and are unaware of market prices.

• Ability to form cooperatives/access to finance: only a minority of shea women are organised into producer associations where they can support one another to improve value adding processes and incomes.

There is significant opportunity to positively influence women’s empowerment through:

• supporting women’s organisations to improve bargaining power,

• training • market information • access to finance. • defining fair returns in the supply chain • supporting women to form cooperatives.


1.3. Decent working conditions Shea collection is almost always informal work done by individuals or family groups not on the basis of an employment relationship. Some processing centres are being established which provide formal employment, and therefore call on the industry to uphold labour rights.


The informal work done in the shea industry raises significant concerns regarding the well-‐being of the people involved:

• Remuneration: collectors and processors in villages typically generate an income below the extreme poverty threshold of $1.25/day

• Health and safety: shea collectors face health and safety risks of snake bites, carrying heavy loads and working extremely long hours (combined with other agricultural work). Shea processors using traditional methods often suffer back and neck pain from the intense physical labour of making shea butter.

• Child labour: children working with their families to collect shea nuts face the same health and safety risks as all collectors and there is additional concern that they may not have adequate access to education.

There are clear opportunities to address these concerns through:

• Fair returns/bargaining power (as above) • supporting women to have protective

equipment for shea collection • equipment to improve processing and

profitability • better access to education for their children.

1.4. Rural communities’ development There are many benefits to rural communities of shea products, both from consumption of the shea fruit or oil, and income from the sale of shea products at a time in the year when other income sources are hard to come by. Women’s shea associations are also reported to invest in community services such as water, health and education.


There are important considerations for the ongoing positive impact of the shea industry for rural communities:

• Sustainable forestry/secure land tenure: rural communities’ need to be aware of their land rights and sustainable forestry practices to ensure conservation of shea trees

• Climate change adaptation: climate change is affecting yields of shea and other crops, such that communities need to understand how to adapt their farming practices to maintain yields

• Infrastructure: many areas where shea grows are very remote with unreliable road access which reduces their ability to trade.

• Food security/health and literacy levels: are common concerns in shea-‐producing countries.

On the other hand, rural communities are facing some significant development challenges which the shea industry could help advance through programmes to help improve:

• income generation and collective action • food security • health • education.


1.5. Conclusions and recommendations

Range of sustainability concerns clearly identified Information presented in this report clearly identifies a range of sustainability concerns relating to the links between the shea industry and rural women’s empowerment; labour rights and rural communities’ development.

Increasing focus and investment on links between agriculture and sustainability concerns Ergon’s experience of other agriculture industries such as coffee, cotton, tea and cocoa is that there is an increasing focus on commodity agriculture and its links to sustainability issues and concerns with poverty and social justice. Other agricultural products such as flowers, strawberries and green beans have also received extensive attention. There is extensive evidence of this from documentaries as well as NGO reports and campaigns. Many large commodity purchasers have now substantially expanded work on sustainability in their operations.

International organisations such as the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have also increased their focus (and investments in the case of IFC) on sustainable agriculture, including small producer involvement, in recent years.

Recommendation to take action to future-‐proof shea and meet best practice Our recommendation would be for GSA on behalf of the industry to use its sustainability platform to:

• Take proactive approach: take action to address these concerns through the sustainability Base Code and potential projects

• Build on opportunities: build on the opportunities outlined in this research to improve conditions for rural shea collectors and small processors, including the potential for investment from international organisations

• Future-‐proofing/risk-‐mitigation: consider how sustainability work can be seen to ‘future-‐proof’ the industry, mitigating against potential risk and helping ensure sustainability of supply

• ‘Knowing and showing’: operating in line with the UN Guidelines for Business and Human Rights by understanding business responsibility and showing what action is being taken to meet it.


Acronyms AMPJ Association Malienne Pour la Promotion des Jeunes (Malian Association for the

Advancement of Youth)

CBE Cocoa Butter Equivalent

CECI Centre d’étude et de coopération international (Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation

CIDA Canadian International Development Agency

COPROKAZAN Cooperative des Productrices de Beurre de Karité de Zantiébougou

DFID UK Department for International Development

FAO Food & Agriculture Organisation

GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Corporation for International Cooperation)

GSA Global Shea Alliance

GTLC Ghana Trade and Livelihoods Coalition

JWIDF Japan Women in Development Fund

SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

TECA Technologies and practices for small agricultural producers (FAO online portal)

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

USAID US Agency for International Development

WATH West African Trade Hub


2. Introduction

2.1. Background The Global Shea Alliance is a multi-‐stakeholder association promoting quality and sustainability in the shea industry. The mission of GSA is to design, develop, and deliver strategies that drive a competitive and sustainable shea industry worldwide, improving the livelihoods of rural African women and their communities.

The GSA has designed a Base Code for Sustainability aiming to address the industry’s key sustainability challenges, identified as:

§ Nut quality improvement § Rural women’s empowerment § Labour rights enforcement § Rural communities' development § Shea trees and savannah conservation

GSA has commissioned labour rights consultancy Ergon Associates to produce research on the three women’s, labour and development issues above.

2.2. Purpose of the research The research aims to:

-‐ Indicate which issues could affect the on-‐going sustainability of the industry for all collectors and processors -‐ women and communities.

-‐ Provide evidence of these current sustainability concerns.

In addition, the research highlights opportunities for the industry to have a lasting, positive impact for women and communities.

2.3. Research methodology This research was conducted in May 2013 with a desk-‐based review of these three sustainability considerations for the shea industry, albeit with greater focus on the six countries most closely involved in the GSA: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Mali. The research drew on the following sources:

-‐ Academic journals – global review of social science journals referencing shea. -‐ International organisations and aid agencies – focus on agencies giving significant budget or

programme support to the 6 countries. -‐ Media – international and African online media sources referencing sustainability issues in shea. -‐ NGOs – focus on those referenced in the above sources.

2.4. Shea production/industry context The primary audience for this report is the GSA membership, who is aware of the industry structure and shea production process. Therefore, this section only serves to highlight characteristics of the shea industry relevant to the sustainability issues outlined in sections 2-‐4.

Key characteristics of the global shea trade

• The majority of harvest shea is used domestically, and currently only 25-‐35% is exported. • There is growing international demand for shea, partly driven by growing awareness of its

cosmetic properties, and partly by EU approval since 2000 for the use of shea butter as a Cocoa Butter Equivalent (CBE).

• In the export value chain, only 10% of shea nuts are processed in villages, 90% are sold to traders for onward sale to mechanical processors both in West Africa and based internationally.


Country % of world shea production

Annual production (metric tons)1

No. of people in shea industry

Nigeria 61 425000

Mali 12 182202 >500,0002

Burkina Faso 10 70000 3-‐400,0003

Ghana 9 65000 >900,0004

Côte d’Ivoire 4 28874

Benin 2 15000

Key characteristics of shea production

• Shea trees are not actively cultivated – they grow in forested areas and on farmland (of other crops) in the semi-‐arid Sahel region in Africa.

• Shea fruit is collected mainly by local women and girls. • Farmers allow natural regeneration on their fields, as it provides an important income for their

family members. (Schreckenberg, 2004). • Shea butter production in most villages is still processed entirely manually:

o Women extract the nut, dry it, and pound it to release the kernel. o The kernel is processed into oil or butter through a long and arduous method of pounding,

roasting, grinding and finally boiling to separate the fat from impurities. • Shea butter production is mechanised in Europe and in some West African capitals. • Shea kernels can be stored for up to 2 years and the butter can be stored in a cool place for

several months. • Shea butter and oil is used for cooking, medicine, soap, and cosmetics as well as an ingredient in

food such as chocolate, as a CBE (see above).

1 http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567#ancor 2 Sidibé et al, 2012 3 Pouliot, 2012. 4 http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=195236


3 Rural women’s empowerment

3.1 Summary of rural women’s empowerment issues Key facts • Over 90% of shea nut collection and 98% of the 10% of processing done in villages is

done by women and girls. • Shea is important for rural women’s livelihoods as it provides income prior to the

harvest of other crops.

Key issues Security of natural resources

Women do not usually have agricultural land rights and depend on family and community members to conserve shea trees.

Access to markets, Adding value, Fair returns

Most shea collectors sell to traders and are unaware of market opportunities to earn a higher income through negotiation, quality improvement or adding value through processing.

Ability to form cooperatives, Access to finance

The shea sector is highly fragmented and most women are not part of organizations and therefore lack bargaining power and access to training, information and finance to upgrade their activities.

Compatibility with other economic activities

Shea collection coincides with the season for preparing other crops, and usually leads to excessive working hours for women.

3.2 Context Shea collection and processing is important for rural women’s livelihoods for the following reasons:

• 92% of shea nut collection is done solely by women and girls. • 10% of total processing is done in villages. Of this 10%, 98% of shea butter processing is done

solely by women and girls. • It is one of few income generation activities open to women in rural areas as women do not have

access to land for cultivation, whereas shea collection is open to all community members.

3.3 Rural Women’s Empowerment Priorities Several international aid agencies and NGOs provide general budget support to West African shea-‐exporting countries. All of these agencies and NGOs consider women’s empowerment and gender equality a strategic development priority. Aid agencies and NGOs are currently running the following programmes:

1. Girls’ education to improve women’s literacy and gender equality in basic education (DFID, CIDA) 2. Reduction of maternal mortality (CIDA) 3. Women’s participation in politics (DFID, SIDA) 4. Raise women’s income through shea butter production and supporting market linkages

(Technoserve, UNIFEM) 5. Capacity building for women’s associations through training in production, management,

marketing, consensus building and literacy. (CECI, USAID, CIDA, Oxfam).

The opportunity to increase women’s empowerment through supporting women’s groups in the shea industry is highlighted in Figure 1 below. This also highlights two areas of concern to most rural women:

• Minimal ownership of or rights over agricultural assets • Access to credit


Figure 1: Women’s Empowerment through Collective Action Indicators of adequate empowerment for members and non-‐members in 27 women’s shea butter cooperatives in Koutiala, Mali. Source: Davies, I., Oxfam International (2013)

3.4 Sustainability Issues and Opportunities for Rural Women’s Empowerment The table below gives a complete overview of the issues and opportunities for rural women’s empowerment through involvement in the shea industry. Sustainability issues Opportunities (where known)

1. Security of natural resources

Women collect shea nuts from wild trees and trees preserved on farmland.

Shea trees growing in the wild have reduced in density due to deforestation.

Women rarely own land and therefore rely on the male head of household to maintain a proportion of shea trees in their fields. (Schreckenberg, 2004).

Lack of ownership of or rights over agricultural assets is the most significant way in which rural women feel disempowered. (See Figure 1 above).

Promote awareness of land rights and gender equality in access to land

e.g. A World Bank programme in Burkina Faso is supporting implementation of rural land legislation by raising awareness amongst communities of their land rights and promoting gender equality in access to land.

Support women’s groups to secure their land rights

e.g. Association Songtaab-‐Yalgré, a women’s shea group in Burkina Faso, worked with support from Oxfam Novib to get compensation for loss of access to land following construction of a ring road. (Imam & Kamminga, 2012).

2. Access to markets – local & global

Lack of awareness of quality, demand or volume expectations in international markets, which leaves

Dissemination of up-‐to-‐date and accessible market information

The GSA Strategic Plan includes publication of


Sustainability issues Opportunities (where known)

women unable to address the factors affecting product quality. (Lovett, 2004).

Lack of information about and links to international buyers.

Dependence on traders to sell their product reduces value adding opportunities. (Carr & Chen, 2001).

Dependence on a single niche market can reduce producers’ ability to take advantage of all market channels, including domestic and regional trade. (Sidibé et al, 2012)

industry standards and market data.

Information could be disseminated to women’s groups via strategic partners in each country, and in an accessible format such as films, guidebooks and pamphlets, and in relevant languages. (Lovett, 2004). The Star Shea Network in Ghana receives price updates via mobile phone. (Rammohan, 2010).

Support cooperatives to develop strategies, skills and networks for local, regional and international trade, so that they can benefit from the full range of market opportunities and reduce the risk of a single route to market. (Sidibé et al, 2012).

3. Value adding opportunities

Many international buyers want to buy unprocessed shea nuts in order to control quality and have more influence over costs. (Sieg, 2009).

Quality is degraded in many rural areas because of the traditional processing practices. (Lusby & Derks, 2006).

Communication of market requirements from exporters and traders to producers to encourage them to upgrade processing practices.

Support for women to refine their processing methods and marketing, to allow them to increase their value add in the supply chain. (Sieg, 2009)

4. Fair returns

Low bargaining power prevents individual women from securing a higher return for shea products. (François, 2009).

Women do not know the market price until halfway through the season. (Schreckenberg, 2004).

Traders do not always remunerate on the basis of the quality of shea butter, so that women may not benefit from improving quality of processing. (Sidibé et al., 2012).

In one study in a village in Benin, only 3% of women processed the kernels into butter for sale due to the low profitability. (Schreckenberg, 1996).

Develop a clear definition of ‘fair return’ for women collecting and processing shea. (François, 2009).

The GSA Strategic Plan includes establishing an industry-‐wide basis for pricing according to quality.

This pricing tier could also take costs of production into account, including adequate remuneration for the work involved.

Support organisational development of cooperatives, as they can negotiate better terms of trade due to their volume, quality control and storage to sell at an advantageous time in the season.

E.g. The AMPJ in Mali improved terms of trade by buying shea kernels from women collectors at a rate 50% higher than the traders, then processing and storing it to sell the butter at a higher price later in the season. (Sidibé et al, 2012)

5. Ability to organise and form cooperatives

Low level of organisation amongst women collecting and processing shea.

Cooperatives have limited working capital which restricts the volume of shea kernels or butter that they can purchase, and therefore limits their membership.

High fragmentation in the shea industry is also in

Support for women’s collective action from NGOs and government

Successful shea butter cooperatives tend to have the following support: production improvements, marketing techniques, good internal governance, strong leadership, and support from men and community authorities. (Davies, 2013)

National coordination of cooperatives may open up access to finance, allow cooperatives to source



part perpetuated by NGOs developing small-‐scale projects with specific groups. (Sidibé et al, 2012)

e.g. Burkina Faso has approximately 250 women’s groups with 30 000 to 35 000 women members, whilst there are over 400,000 women in the industry.

E.g. An estimated 27% of shea collectors in Ghana are part of an organisation. (GTLC, 2009).

stable volumes, and thereby increase potential membership. (Sidibé et al, 2012)

Support for national associations of shea butter producers would also enable stronger links with international markets. (Lovett, 2004).

6. Access to finance

Insufficient cash flow to increase production volumes: Women making shea butter often have to buy kernels on credit and pay when they sell the butter. They have insufficient capital to buy a larger stock of kernels when the price is low in order to increase their profitability.

Limited access to working capital prevents many cooperatives maintaining or increasing the volume of shea kernels purchased from their members. (Sidibé et al., 2012).

In a recent Oxfam survey, less than 50% of women felt they had adequate access to credit (See Figure 1 above).

Microfinance initiatives

e.g. In Ghana, microfinance organisations are developing products tailored to shea women’s credit needs.

If successful, women will be able obtain loans for purchasing processing equipment, hiring extra labour, or to help cover general expenses before products are sold. (Rammohan, 2010).

7. Compatibility with other economic activities

Shea collection and processing takes place during the rainy season, which coincides with optimal planting time for other crops.

The opportunity cost for women collecting shea nuts is to either forego the full potential income of other crops OR work extremely long hours.

Women often work on shea collection or processing before a full day’s work in other agricultural activities, raising concerns about the impact on their health and well-‐being. (Pouliot, 2009).

Dissemination of labour-‐saving technologies to produce shea butter in a less time-‐intensive manner to improve returns. (Pouliot, 2009)

Improvement in storage facilities so that women can process the shea nuts at a time in the year when there is less demand on their time from other activities. (Sidibé et al, 2012)


4 Decent working conditions

4.1 Summary of decent working conditions issues Key facts • Shea collection is informal work usually conducted by family groups.

• There is an emergence of formal employment in some centralized processing centres.

Key issues Remuneration Remuneration for shea processing is estimated to be below the extreme poverty threshold of $1.25/day.

Health & Safety The main risks for shea collectors are snake bites, heavy loads, extreme working hours and back/neck pain (shea processors).

Child labour Children often work alongside their family members to collect shea nuts, although it is not reported to interfere with education.

4.2 Context Most women in the shea industry are working independently and are not employed, although this depends on the circumstances of the work:

• Shea collection is done predominantly by women and girls working often in family units. There is no employment relationship, and so women can be considered self-‐employed.

• Shea processing in rural areas is still largely done manually using traditional methods. In this scenario, women do the work and sell their product. There is usually no employment relationship although women may be part of a cooperative.

• Centralised shea processing centres are emerging, some of which offer formal employment opportunities to women and men. E.g. COPROKAZAN in Mali generated full-‐time and part-‐time jobs for 140 women and 6 men. (Sidibé et al, 2012).

ILO standards cannot be enforced for self-‐employed workers, because there is no distinction between employee or employer to assign rights and responsibilities to each party.

This research therefore assessed the working conditions for all workers in the shea industry against the standards used in the current draft of the GSA Base Code: freedom of association, no discrimination, remuneration, health & safety, no child labour and no forced labour. Other working conditions issues may also be relevant as the industry and/or Base Code develop.

Decent Working Conditions Priorities The research did not identify any current programmes specifically to improve working conditions in the shea industry. However, there is a strong emphasis on poverty reduction through improving livelihoods for shea producers, with programmes which increase remuneration, reduce physical intensity of the work and promote education for children of shea producers:

• Remuneration (GIZ, World Bank, Technoserve, UNIFEM, CECI, CIDA) • Mechanised processing (UNDP, JWIDF, GIZ, UNIFEM, CECI, CIDA) • Education provision (World Bank, DFID, USAID, CIDA)


4.3 Sustainability Issues and Opportunities for Decent Working Conditions The table below gives a complete overview of the issues and opportunities for decent working conditions in the shea industry.


1. Sufficient remuneration:

There are extremely low returns per unit of labour for harvesting and processing shea. (Pouliot, 2009).

Estimates show women earn US$0.60/kg of shea butter, equating to 10 hours work. (Elias & Carney, 2007). This is below the extreme poverty threshold of $1.25/day.

See Opportunities for Fair Returns outlined on page 10.

2. Health & safety: collection

Risks identified include:

-‐ heavy loads -‐ snake bites -‐ lack of personal protective equipment (eg

gloves, boots) -‐ extreme working hours.

Women collectors have been reported to carry up to 47kg of shea nuts on their heads. (Schreckenberg, 2006).

Collectors have reported being often bitten by snakes because they use their bare hands and sometimes bare feet to comb the bush in search of the nut. (Ghana Business News, 2010). The NGO, ‘Just Shea’, estimates 30,000 women a year in Ghana suffer snake bites while gathering shea nuts.

Anecdotally, women start collecting shea nuts as early as 2am, in order to finish this work in time to do other jobs.

Access to transport & appropriate protective equipment

“NGO had assisted some nut pickers with tricycles, hand gloves and Wellington boots and had improved the business tremendously saying if such assistance is extended to others, it would reduce the risk

3. Health & safety: processing

The main risk identified is:

• Pain in the back and shoulders.

Many villages do not have a grinder for the kernels, which makes the processing work very arduous for women.

Introduce mechanical equipment to reduce physical impact of traditional processing

e.g. A ‘bridge press’ can reduce processing time for 25 kg shea kernels from 9.5 to 3.25 hours and requires minimal effort to use. (TECA, 2004)

4. Child labour

Women and girls do over 90% of shea collection. However, there is little reported on children’s age or working hours.

A 2004 study in Mali, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo found that 60% of women collected shea with family members, usually daughters. The study reported the following:

Ensure child work does not lead to child labour

According to the AAK study, work done by children in the shea industry is not classified as child labour according to the ILO definition as it is for few hours and does not interfere with education.

The study does however highlight serious concerns about child poverty and lack of education provision in rural areas.



·∙ Children were involved in collecting shea nuts together with the rest of the family.

·∙ Children were not prevented from going to school due to their participation in collecting shea nuts.

This study was commissioned by an international buyer (AAK) and conducted by an independent audit team.

(UN Global Compact, 2010)

Education provision

Many actors in the industry highlight the need for stronger education provision for children in shea producing areas.

There are several examples of education provision facilitated by women’s groups and NGOs operating in the shea industry. (See Priorities above).

5. Forced labour

According to the AAK study mentioned above, forced labour and slavery are not present in the shea supply chain. (UN Global Compact, 2010).

Further research could be useful.

6. Employment contracts & ILO standards

Most work in the West African shea industry is done on a self-‐employed basis.

There could be an increase in formal employment If centralised processing of shea nuts in West Africa increases, in which case the industry will need a strategy to ensure ILO standards are upheld in the processing centres.

Monitor the level of formal employment in the shea processing industry.

Develop a strategy to ensure ILO standards are upheld by employers.


5 Rural communities development

5.1 Summary of rural communities development issues Key facts • Shea is known as the ‘poverty coping tree’ for poor rural households as it provides

food and income for several months prior to harvest of other crops.

Key issues Sustainable forestry & secure land tenure

A decline in the density of shea trees and low recognition of land rights for shea collectors threatens this livelihood.

Climate change adaptation

Changing weather patterns are making shea yields less predictable and affecting viability of traditional crops, making adaptation strategies essential.

Infrastructure Poor road infrastructure reduces some communities’ opportunities to trade shea products.

Food security All 6 shea-‐producing countries face high levels of malnutrition.

Health & literacy levels There is low life expectancy and high maternal mortality rates in most shea-‐producing countries.

5.2 Context There are several benefits to rural communities of harvesting shea:

• Local consumption of the fruit provides important nutrients, including ascorbic acid, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and B.

• Local use of shea oil for cooking. • Local use of shea butter as a moisturiser and medicine. • Domestic trade and international export of shea nuts generates income.

As Figure 2 below shows, shea provides an income and food source prior to the harvest of subsistence staple crops. Whilst the income from shea is lower than other crops, it generates income during a period of the year when other income sources are at their lowest. This income, as well as the consumption of shea fruit and oil, reduces vulnerability to food insecurity.

In Burkina Faso, shea provides an average of 7% of total household income and 12% for the poorest households. (Pouliot, 2012). In Benin, shea provides an average of 2.8% of total household income. (Schreckenberg, 2004). In Ghana, researchers estimate income from selling shea kernels is up to 30% of the total annual income from farming. (Carette, 2009).

Rural Community Development Priorities

There are several international aid agencies and NGOs working in all 6 countries to promote rural community development. The common priorities are:

• Food security: safety nets for vulnerable (IDRC, World Bank, Oxfam Novib, DFID, USAID) • Sustainable livelihoods: agricultural development and sustainable forestry (GIZ, CIRAD, SIDA, CECI,

CIDA) • Education: girls’ education (World Bank, DFID, USAID, CIDA) • Infrastructure: rural access roads, water & sanitation services (World Bank, CIDA) • Health: maternal, infant & child health and nutrition (World Bank, DFID, SIDA, CECI, USAID, CIDA) • Local Governance: community management training & rights awareness (World Bank, CIDA) • Land reform: gender equality, rights awareness (World Bank, Oxfam Novib, DFID)


Figure 2: Average total and cash income from crops and shea per season, Burkina Faso, 2007–2008. Source: Pouliot, M. (2012)

5.3 Sustainability Issues and Opportunities for Rural Community Development The table below gives an overview of the issues and opportunities for rural community development.


1. Sustainable forestry & secure land tenure

Shea is in the top 3 most important non-‐timber forest products for rural communities’ livelihoods. (Vodouhe, 2009).

A decline in density of shea trees as land is cleared for agriculture is impacting women and poor households the most, by reducing their incomes and use of shea as a food source during the hungry season. (Pouliot, 2012).

Low recognition of rural land rights, especially for women, is a concern for communities dependent on agriculture including shea nuts. e.g. There are concerns regarding land acquisitions for biofuel production without consent from or adequate compensation for communities. (Kelly, 2012).

Advocacy for land reforms “The revision of the Land Act has been a big step in our history. But rural stakeholders are still waiting for greater involvement in land tenure policymaking…rural people are hungry for expanded technical knowledge and to be equipped with the tools of effective conservation and natural resource management.” (Marceline Ouedraogo, President, Association Songtaab-‐Yalgré, Burkina Faso, 2012)

2. Climate change adaptation

Changing rainfall is making the shea harvest less predictable.

Climate change is affecting which crops grow successfully and some communities may not be able to yield enough from agriculture alone to subsist on. (Togola, 2010).

Develop farming skills and diversify income sources

Rural communities need to develop new farming techniques for a changing climate, and to develop skills for processing agriculture commodities such as shea butter.

Rural communities have potential to diversify their economic activities into green sectors, such as bioenergy, waste collection and construction. (Togola, 2010)



3. Infrastructure

Poor road infrastructure reduces some communities’ opportunities to trade shea products. (Sidibé et al, 2012)

Advocate for rural access programmes in shea producing areas

There are rural access programmes in several shea-‐producing countries (see Appendix 1).

4. Food security Malnutrition is pervasive in all 6 countries, with between 14-‐27% of children under-‐five being severely or moderately underweight. (Figure 3 below).

Increase income stream from shea products Shea can provide a vital income and food source for rural households for several months before other crops are harvested. (Figure 2 above). See Opportunities for Fair Returns outlined on page 6.

5. Health levels

The health index (based on life expectancy at birth) is of particular concern for all countries except Ghana (which has life expectancy in line with a medium developed country).5.

Maternal mortality rates are of particular concern in Mali and Nigeria.6 (Figure 4 below).

Shea processing associations can invest in community developments such as health and education

e.g. Association Songtaab-‐Yalgré in Burkina Faso sets aside a percentage of income from shea product sales for community development projects:

-‐ drilling wells for fresh water -‐ health information services -‐ literacy programmes. (UNDP, 2012). 6. Literacy levels

Particularly low national literacy rates in Burkina Faso (26%), Mali (31%) and Benin (42%) indicate significant challenges for producers to participate in value chains. (Figure 3 below).

Literacy rates are even lower amongst women (UNDP, 2012).

5 Human Development Report Categories at http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/indicators/72206.html 6 Human Development Report Categories at http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/indicators/89006.html.


Figure 3: Poverty, literacy and child health indicators Source: International Human Development Indicators http://hdr.undp.org

Figure 4: Global health index and maternal mortality rates Source: International Human Development Indicators http://hdr.undp.org

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Benin Burkina Faso

Côte d'Ivoire

Ghana Mali Nigeria

Populaxon living below $1.25 PPP per day (%) 2012

Adult literacy rate, both sexes (% aged 15 and above) 2010

Children under-‐five who are under weight for their age (moderate and severe) (%) 2010

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Health index 2012

Maternal mortality (% of deaths for every live birth)


Africa hopes for anti-wrinkle cash cow January 17 2003, BBC, UK At present, the shea nuts are gathered from karite trees in African villages and exported to Europe for processing. "If West Africans produced butter from the nuts locally, the profits would be greater, there would be more jobs created and the economy would be diversified," said Sasha Resnick, programme manager of West Africa International Business Linkage (WAIBL).”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2658591.stm

6 Media coverage of sustainability issues in the shea industry

The Shea Butter Economy: Big Money and Exploitation

July 06 2011, Atlanta Post, USA

“The women who collect the shea nut as part of their subsistent life are not completely naïve, but are unaware of its true market worth. This naiveté results in a continued undervaluing of the product…We try to make women feel confident in their own economic structure. One way is through teaching them the market so they know the real value of their product.’ [Rahama Wright, founder of Shea Yeleen International, Inc]”

http://newamericamedia.org/2011/07/the-shea-butter-economy-how-moisture-involves-big-money-and-exploitatio.php

Turning butter into financial independence

March 17 2012, The Globe and Mail, Canada “Shea production is definitely something that helps women economically,” says Justin Douglass, communications manager for World Vision Mali. “Facing a food crisis, it is especially important that they have access to money to purchase food for their families.” “Many socially minded brands are working with producers directly at the source, to better oversee their sourcing and to improve worker conditions. Burt’s Bees has partnered with a major West African shea-kernel provider as well as the United Nations Development Program to promote efficiency of harvesting. Among the initiatives is the provision of energy for a wide variety of grinding, shelling and pressing tools that in turn give female workers more time to focus on education.” “According to a third-party study, the real impact [of Burt’s Bees’ involvement] is that the number of women in the villages who can read has increased by more than 25 per cent since we started this project,” says Celeste Lutrario, vice-president of research and development for the company. “They are able to make financial contributions to the local village and [accumulate]substantial savings.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/fashion-and-beauty/beauty/turning-butter-into-financial-independence/article533986/

Shea butter project offers hope from

Greenock to Ghana 21 November 2011, BBC News, Scotland “Shea butter, a product of a wild-growing nut in northern Ghana, is at the heart of a successful pilot project which is about to go into full production. The nuts have, for centuries, been gathered by impoverished women and vulnerable children, earning just 75p per day. But they could earn no money outwith the harvest season. A Greenock-based charity, Trade Right International (TRI), organised the production of shea butter, a more valuable product widely used in cosmetics as a moisturiser, salve or lotion.Now more than 1,000 women are engaged in the work, earning twice as much.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-15822974


Women Ideal Shea Butter Producers

Jun 11 2008, Inter Press Service

“The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) found that women contribute as much as 80 percent of the agricultural labour force and work twice as many hours as men in the region, but they are largely barred from owning land. Women have little influence over how to spend household income, and are less likely than men to get an education or access to health care. Women's access to credit to establish income-generating activities is also limited as they have few assets to use as collateral. http://www.ipsnews.net/2008/06/development-ghana-women-ideal-shea-butter-producers/

Closing Ghana’s national poverty gap

October 2008, Africa Renewal “Many of the women at the workshop of the Pagsung shea butter association are in their forties and fifties. Previously, each had collected and processed shea nuts as an individual, but earned so little she could barely get by. “We found if we came together we could make more and sell more,” explains Safiya Hassan, a recent university graduate who is helping the women. Tackling poverty is especially difficult in the north, and even small changes can have a noticeable impact. Above all, says John Nabila, a traditional paramount chief in the Northern Region’s West Mamprusi district, northern Ghana needs a concerted and conscious national effort to increase investments in education, health and economic development. “The roads are poor. The difficulty and high cost of transport hamper economic activity. This is one of the biggest challenges facing the shea producers in Tamale. Such costs cut into the profits the women can earn.” http://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/october-2008/closing-ghana%E2%80%99s-national-poverty-gap

Lily Cole visits the Ghanaian producers of The Body Shop's shea butter

18 June 2012, The Guardian, UK

“The Tungteiya co-operative in Ghana is made up of 11 villages and more than 500 people, and is the largest ingredient supplier within The Body Shop's Community Fair Trade programme. The price paid by The Body Shop's programme includes a 'social premium' – a portion for investment in communities, allowing people to thrive, not just survive. The Body Shop ambassador Lily Cole visited the Tungteiya women to see how their business works.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2012/jun/18/lily-cole-body-shop-shea-butter?INTCMP=SRCH

Shea butter could be lifeline for Ugandan

women April 11, 2011, CNN, USA Non-profit organization Beadforlife has brought together 760 women farmers, many rebuilding their lives after two decades of civil war, and started a business processing and selling the nuts they gather. "I have more respect from my husband because I am earning money. This has happened to many women," Engol told Beadforlife. "Many of the children were forced to leave school during the war, and they are now just drop outs. Having an income will make a difference for all of us." http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/04/11/uganda.shea.nuts/index.html?iref=allsearch


TechnoServe supports women in the

Northern Region 1 March 2012, Modern Ghana “TechnoServe, an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has since 2009 supported 4,209 economically marginalised women in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana in the area of Shea processing. The NGO has delivered business development and technical training to organized groups of Shea nut collectors and processors, and has linked the processors to buyers in order to create new market opportunities. This has tripled the average volume processed by the affected groups (from one bag per month to three bags per month) and significantly reduced the distance travelled by the women to mill their Shea kernels.” http://www.modernghana.com/news/381129/1/technoserve-supports-women-in-the-northern-region.html

Ghana’s shea nut pickers complain about

dangerous working conditions Ghana Business News, 22 August 2010 “They said they were often bitten by snakes because they use their bare hands and sometimes bare feet to comb the bush in search of the nut. The veritable conditions in which shea nut pickers go through before picking the nuts are too precarious yet gain just a little for their deadly efforts while the big merchants and industry players profit hugely from their sweat.” http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2010/08/22/ghanas-shea-nut-pickers-complain-about-dangerous-working-conditions/

NAPEP to promote Shea butter nuts production

May 27 2013, National Mirror, Nigeria

“The National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) has reiterated its commitment toward poverty eradication in the country through increased Shea butter nuts production.” “Shea butter nuts farming and Shea butter production will greatly increase farmers’ income as the two are major sources of nutritional and economic importance to many people, especially in rural areas.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/napep-to-promote-shea-butter-nuts-production/

Shea nut and poverty alleviation in Northern

Ghana 15 October 2010, Ghana Web “According to the Vice President of Ghana John Dramami Mahama, more than 900,000 women in the three Northern regions, collect over 130,000 tonnes of dry nuts annually. The industry also benefits close to two million poor people, about 95 per cent of whom are rural households, though its full potential is yet to be exploited. The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) intends to nurture and grow the shea industry as part of other interventions to accelerate development of the Northern parts of the country to reduce poverty.” http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=195236

Shea, the Light of West Africa, Visual Storytelling, 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4sbvY8BNT0 A documentary about shea butter production and its cultural importance to the women of West Africa.


7 Conclusion and recommendations

7.1 Clear identification of sustainability concerns in shea The information presented in this report clearly identifies a range of sustainability concerns relating to the links between the shea industry and rural women’s empowerment; labour rights and rural communities’ development. Furthermore, media coverage at national level in Afircan countries and partly at international level, including on video websites such as YouTube also deals with these concerns – in particular as they relate to opportunities for women, poverty, and working conditions.

7.2 Increasing focus and investment on links between agriculture and sustainability concerns Ergon’s experience of other agriculture industries such as coffee, cotton, tea and cocoa is that there is an increasing focus on commodity agriculture and its links to sustainability issues and concerns with poverty and social justice. Other agricultural products such as flowers, strawberries and green beans have also received extensive attention.

This is evidenced in the social sphere by documentaries (Black Gold on coffee, Dirty White Gold, Cost of Cotton (BBC)), extensive NGO campaigns from international non-‐governmental organisations such as Oxfam looking at agriculture production, its links to poverty, land rights and food security and upward chain links to companies selling raw materials in their products (eg Oxfam’s Behind the Brands campaign). NGOs such as SOMO (Dutch Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations), War on Want, International Labour Rights Fund (US-‐based) also campaign regularly on agriculture issues and encouraging industry to take shared responsibility for conditions in their raw material supply chains. Many large commodity purchasers such as Olam, Ecom and Unilever have all now expanded work on sustainability in their operations.

International organisations such as the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have also increased their focus (and investments in the case of IFC) on sustainable agriculture, including small producer involvement, in recent years.

7.3 Future-‐proofing shea Our recommendation would be for GSA on behalf of the industry to use its sustainability platform to:

• Take proactive approach: take action to address these concerns through the sustainability Base Code and potential projects

• Build on opportunities: build on the opportunities outlined in this research to improve conditions for rural shea collectors and small processors, including the potential for investment from international organisations

• Future-‐proofing/risk-‐mitigation: consider how sustainability work can be seen to ‘future-‐proof’ the industry, mitigating against potential risk and helping ensure sustainability of supply

• ‘Knowing and showing’: operating in line with the UN Guidelines for Business and Human Rights by understanding business responsibility and showing what action is being taken to meet it.


8 Bibliography Carette, C. et al (2009), “Shea nut and butter in Ghana: Opportunities and constraints for local processing”, Wageningen University & Resilience Foundation. http://www.resilience-‐foundation.nl/docs/shea.pdf. Carr, M. & Chen, M. A. (2001), “Globalisation and the Informal Economy: How Global Trade and Investment Impact on the Working Poor”, WIEGO, ILO Working paper on the informal economy 2002/1. http://www.ilo.org/employment/Whatwedo/Publications/WCMS_122053/lang-‐-‐en/index.htm Davies, I. (2013), “Women’s collective action in the shea sector in Mali”, Women’s Collective Action Case Study, Oxfam International. http://policy-‐practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/womens-‐collective-‐action-‐in-‐the-‐shea-‐sector-‐in-‐mali-‐275772. Elias, M. & Carney, J (2007), “African shea butter: A feminized subsidy from nature”, Africa 77, pp37-‐62. http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0001972000094493 François, M. et al (2009), “The shea butter market: between subsistence economy and Globalised capitalism”, Cahiers Agricultures, 18 (4), pp. 369-‐75. http://www.jle.com/en/revues/agro_biotech/agr/e-‐docs/00/04/4C/C1/article.phtml Göler von Ravensburg, N. (2010), “Economic and other benefits of the entrepreneurs’ cooperative as a specific form of enterprise cluster”, International Labour Office. http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/-‐-‐-‐ed_emp/-‐-‐-‐emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_173050.pdf. GTLC (2009), “Unleashing the Shea Potential: A Baseline Data Analysis”, Ghana Trade & Livelihoods Commission. http://gtlcghana.org/documents2.php?page=Research%20Materials&docid=37 Imam, A. & Kamminga, E. (2012), “Women in search of citizenship. Experiences from West Africa”, Oxfam Novib/KIT -‐ Royal Tropical Institute. http://www.kitpublishers.nl/net/KIT_Publicaties_output/ShowFile2.aspx?e=2042 Kelly, R. (2012), “The Hunger Grains: The fight is on. Time to scrap EU biofuel mandates”, Oxfam Briefing Paper 161, Oxfam International. http://www.oxfamnovib.nl/Redactie/Downloads/Rapporten/hunger-‐grains_bp161_170912-‐embargoed.pdf. Lovett, P. (2004), “Shea Butter Value Chain: Production, Transformation and marketing in West Africa”, WATH Technical Report No.2. http://www.watradehub.com/sites/default/files/resourcefiles/aug09/220production20transformation20and20marketing2028p20lovett29.pdf Lusby, F. & Derks, E. (2006), “Shea kernels from Mali: a value chain case study”, Small Enterprise Development 17, pp36-‐46. http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADH973.pdf Pouliot, M. (2012), “Contribution of “Women’s Gold” to West African Livelihoods: The Case of Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) in Burkina Faso”, Economic Botany, 66(3), pp. 237–248 Rammohan, S. (2010), “The Shea Value Chain Reinforcement Initiative in Ghana”, Case Study for Stanford Global Supply Chain Management Forum. http://csi.gsb.stanford.edu/shea-‐value-‐chain-‐reinforcement-‐initiative-‐ghana. Saussey, M. (2008), “New forms of recognition for women on the basis of shea production (Burkina Faso)”, Cahiers Agricultures, 17(6), pp. 582-‐6. http://www.jle.com/fr/revues/agro_biotech/agr/e-‐docs/00/04/44/2C/article.phtml Schreckenberg, K. (2004), “The contribution of shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertner) to local livelihoods in Benin”, pp. 91–114 in T. Sunderland and O. Ndoye, eds., Forest products, livelihoods and conservation: Case studies of non-‐timber forest product systems. CIFOR, Bogor. http://www.cifor.org/ntfpcd/pdf/NTFP-‐Africa-‐R.PDF Sidibé, A. et al (2012), “Innovation processes navigated by women groups in the Malian shea sector: How targeting of international niche markets results in fragmentation and obstructs co-‐ordination”, NJAS -‐ Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences 60– 63 pp. 29-‐36.


Sieg, K. (2009), “Women’s Gold”, Rural 21 – 06/2009, pp.36-‐8. http://www.rural21.com/uploads/media/R21_Women_s_gold_0609.pdf Sustainability Report (2010), AarhusKarlshamn AB. http://www.aak.com/Global/csr/Responsible%20Growth%20-‐%20AAK%20Sustainability%20Report%202010-‐2011%20EN.pdf TECA (2012), “Introducing a mechanical press for making Shea butter in northern Ghana.” http://teca.fao.org/technology/introducing-‐mechanical-‐press-‐making-‐shea-‐butter-‐northernghana Togola, I. et al (2010), “Skills for green jobs in Mali: unedited background country study”, International Labour Office, Skills and Employability Department. United Nations Development Programme (2012), “Songtaab-‐Yalgré Association, Burkina Faso”. Equator Initiative Case Study Series. New York, NY. http://www.equatorinitiative.org/images/stories/com_winners/casestudy/case_1348150659.pdf


Appendix: Relevant NGO and Aid Agency Programmes Organisation Country Timeframe

& Funding Programme Theme

Maata-‐N-‐Tudu and Grameen Ghana

Ghana 2009 Shea Value Chain Reinforcement Initiative (SAP, PlaNet Finance, Grameen Ghana and Maata-‐N-‐Tudu) To use microfinance, education, and technology to improve the incomes and living conditions of women who pick shea nuts and women who process nuts into shea butter. http://csi.gsb.stanford.edu/shea-‐value-‐chain-‐reinforcement-‐initiative-‐ghana

Women’s empowerment

IDRC Burkina Faso

Improving food security for rural residents through research on wild fruit. To improve harvesting, processing, and marketing techniques. http://www.idrc.ca/en/aboutus/whatwedo/pages/detailedcountryprofile.aspx?countryprofileid=28

Community Development: Food security

UNDP/ Japan Women in Development Fund (JWIDF)

Ghana 2007-‐9 Empowering Rural Women and Alleviating Poverty by Strengthening the Local Shea Butter Industry in Northern Ghana To empower rural women in Northern Ghana and alleviate their acute poverty by reinforcing the feasibility of local shea butter industry as a sustainable business. http://www.undp-‐gha.org/design/operations/project_details.php?page=21


UNIFEM Cote d’Ivoire

Integrating gender to Poverty Reduction Strategy To boost gender parity in education, increasing facilities for girls in primary schools along with awareness building for parents. To support self-‐employment initiatives in agro-‐industrial settings to reduce women’s unemployment rates. http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/women_poverty_economics/unifem_takes_action.html


UNIFEM Burkina Faso

Since 1997 Women benefitting from shea industry To help women's groups bolster their ability to produce shea butter and to link them up with potential export markets. http://www.genderandtrade.org/gtinformation/164419/164962/168885/shea_butter/


GIZ Benin 2009-‐14 Efficient Stoves for Producing Shea Butter To promote improved cookstoves in order to help reduce the amount of wood needed to produce shea butter. http://www.giz.de/Themen/de/dokumente/giz2013-‐en-‐factsheet-‐efficient-‐stoves-‐for-‐producing-‐shea-‐butter.pdf

Community Development: Sustainable forestry

GIZ Ghana 2009-‐12 Development of value chains for agro-‐forestry products and increase the income of the local population To increase people’s incomes by developing value chains for selected agro-‐forestry products, and by contributing to a sustainable use of forest resources in close cooperation with the local population. http://www.giz.de/Themen/en/dokumente/giz2011-‐en-‐psb-‐ghana-‐agro-‐forestry-‐dupaulwood.pdf

Community Development: Sustainable forestry


Organisation Country Timeframe & Funding

Programme Theme

GIZ Mali 2011-‐13 Implementing Organic Fair Trade Production Standards for Shea Butter Cosmetics To introduce organic and fair trade standards in the production of shea butter in parts of Mali. https://www.devex.com/impact/partnerships/83

Women’s empowerment: economic empowerment

GIZ Nigeria 2011 Improvement and Promotion of shea industry Working with the National Shea Products Association in Nigeria (NASPAN) to facilitate the cultivation and processing of shea products. To improve the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) so that they can increase their income and create employment opportunities. To improve and diversify their products and services, meet the demands of their customers, and identify new markets. http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=42840:german-‐agency-‐supports-‐shea-‐products-‐promotion-‐&catid=103:agro-‐care&Itemid=565


CIRAD Benin Burkina Faso Ghana Ivory Coast Mali Niger

Ongoing Research priorities: Food and energy security Territorial fertility management Knowledge and promotion of agro-‐biodiversity – Crop improvement Sanitary risks – Disease vector and pest and disease management Public policy


World Bank

Nigeria 2013-‐17 $1342m

State Education Program Investment Project To support: (a) need-‐based teacher deployment; (b) school-‐level management and accountability; and (c) measurement of student learning in Participating States. http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P122124/nigeria-‐state-‐education-‐program-‐investment-‐project?lang=en

Community Development: Education & Technical training

World Bank

Nigeria 2012-‐18 $244m

Rural Access and Mobility Project To improve transport conditions and bring sustained access to the rural population through rehabilitating and maintaining key rural transport infrastructure in a sustainable manner. http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P095003/ng-‐rural-‐access-‐mobility-‐project-‐phase-‐2?lang=en

Community Development: infrastructure

World Bank

Mali 2011-‐17 $30m

Strengthening Reproductive Health To improve access and use of quality reproductive health services by women of reproductive age, in selected regions. http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P124054/ml-‐strengthening-‐reproductive-‐health?lang=en

Community Development: Health

World Bank

Mali 2013-‐18 $70m

Emergency Safety Nets project To provide targeted cash transfers to the poor and food insecure households and to establish building blocks for a national safety net system. http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P127328/mali-‐social-‐protection-‐employment-‐project-‐spep?lang=en




Programme Theme

World Bank

Ghana 2012-‐15 $75m

Ghana Partnership for Education To improve the planning, monitoring and delivery of basic education services in deprived districts of the recipient's territory. http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P129381/ghana-‐education-‐all-‐gpef?lang=en

Community Development: Education

World Bank

Cote d’Ivoire

2012-‐15 $41m

Emergency Basic Education Support Project (i) restoring and increasing access to basic education; (ii) rehabilitating and improving the conditions for teaching and learning; and (iii) restoring and strengthening institutional capacity to deliver quality basic education. http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P119328/emergency-‐basic-‐education-‐support-‐project-‐efa-‐fti-‐grant?lang=en

Community Development: Education

World Bank

Benin 2012-‐16 $46m

Decentralized Community Driven Services Project To improve access to decentralized basic social services and to mainstream the Community Driven Development (CDD) approach for such services. http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P117764/decentralized-‐community-‐driven-‐services-‐project?lang=en

Community Development: Education, Health, Food Security, Governance

World Bank

Burkina Faso

2012-‐18 $86m

Third Phase Community Based Rural Development Project To enhance the capacity of rural communities and decentralized institutions for the implementation of local development plans that promote sustainable land and natural resources management and productive investments at commune level. http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P129688/third-‐phase-‐community-‐based-‐rural-‐development-‐project?lang=en

Community Development: Rural land reform

World Bank

Mali & Burkina Faso

2008 Improving Economic Conditions of Women Through the Use of Shea Butter To ensure regular production of shea nut and its transformation into butter for local sale and export. http://wbi.worldbank.org/wbdm/idea/improving-‐economic-‐conditions-‐women-‐through-‐use-‐shea-‐butter

Women’s empowerment: Economic empowerment

FAO Regional 2013 RESEARCH: Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division (ESW), in collaboration with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) “Women must not only be represented in forestry institutions, but also accepted as stakeholders with specific views and interests, the FAO paper contends. Empowerment of women through, for example, formal education, training and support for income generation would allow them to have a greater say in transformative decisions. “Efforts to include women in forest-‐related institutions should be strengthened,” says Stloukal, “because women can help maximize synergies between the forest sector and food security for the benefit of all.” http://www.fao.org/forestry/37071-‐07fcc88f7f1162db37cfea44e99b9f1c4.pdf

Women’s empowerment: Political involvement.



Programme Theme

Oxfam

Mali 2009-‐12 RESEARCH: Women's Collective Action To gather evidence on effective ways of organising for women smallholders to enhance their incomes, asset ownership, and empowerment. To identify and promote innovations and effective strategies of support to women's collective action. http://policy-‐practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/womens-‐collective-‐action-‐in-‐the-‐shea-‐sector-‐in-‐mali-‐275772

Women’s empowerment: Collective action

Oxfam Novib

Ghana Food security Support for rural communities to cope with high food prices by supporting agricultural development to raise new sources of income. http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/agriculture/ghana-‐impact-‐food-‐prices-‐rice-‐farmers


Oxfam Novib

Burkina Faso, Mali

Promoting Land Rights & Promoting Shea Value Addition West Africa Gender Inclusive Citizenship (WAGIC) programme To promote gender inclusive citizenship and better access for women to social, political and economic rights in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger http://www.kitpublishers.nl/net/KIT_Publicaties_output/ShowFile2.aspx?e=2042

Community Development: Land reform Women’s empowerment

Technoserve

Ghana To raise women’s income through shea butter processing. In 2012, TechnoServe worked with more than 1,000 women, who increased their income through shea butter nearly fivefold within a year. Activities: Help women’s groups upgrade their business skills, acquire financing, find new market opportunities and develop a culture of savings and investment. http://www.technoserve.org/our-‐work/where-‐we-‐work/country/ghana


DFID

Ghana Ongoing general budget support.

Women's Participation in Politics To increase women’s participation and representation in decision making in local and national government structures. £434,000 Land Administration Project To develop effective, accountable and equitable approaches to land administration, based on existing customary institutions. 2003-‐9, £4.1m. Support to Food & Agriculture Sector Harmonisation To provide support to Government of Ghana to implement a common improved agriculture sector strategy. 2005-‐9. £5m. Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Accelerated progress towards secure, equitable and accountable access to social protection for extremely poor and vulnerable people in Ghana. 2010-‐15. £32m. Girls Unite and Participatory Approaches to Students Success (PASS) To ensure that girls stay in secondary school longer, complete their schooling more often and (along with boys) improve their academic results. 2011-‐16. £17m. http://projects.dfid.gov.uk/Default.aspx?countrySelect=GH-‐Ghana

Women’s empowerment: Political involvement. Community Development: Social protection. Community Development: girls’ education.



Programme Theme

DFID Nigeria Ongoing General Budget Support

Partnership for transforming health systems Girls Education Project Enhancing Nigeria’s response to HIV/Aids Child Development Grant: To prevent stunting in children under 5 by supporting mothers to improve children nutrition in Zamfara and Jigawa states, and to influence social protection policy at state and federal level http://projects.dfid.gov.uk/Default.aspx?countrySelect=NG-‐Nigeria

Community Development: Health, Education, Child Nutrition, Social Protection.

SIDA

Burkina Faso

$34m 2012 aid budget (general budget support)

Key spend areas: $7.5m for Democracy, human rights, gender equality. Support for National Democratic Institute to offer women education in the political process, creating a platform for women to reach decision-‐making positions. Further plans to educate elected women in looking at the needs of the poor, particularly among vulnerable women. $750,000 for Agriculture. Small-‐scale water reservoirs programme. http://www.sida.se/English/Countries-‐and-‐regions/Africa/Burkina-‐Faso/

Women’s empowerment: Political involvement.

Mali $30m 2012 aid budget (general budget support)

Key spend areas: $10m for Democracy, human rights, gender equality. Education to improve literacy, support for NGOs that promote citizens’ awareness of rights, investment in health centres to reduce maternal mortality. $10m for Agriculture. e.g. through training for communities to establish sustainable livelihoods from agriculture: beekeeping, horticulture and animal husbandry. http://www.sida.se/English/Countries-‐and-‐regions/Africa/Mali/

Community Development: Literacy, Health, Reduced Maternal mortality, sustainable agriculture.

UNIFEM Burkina Faso

To help women's groups bolster their ability to produce shea butter and to link them up with potential export markets. http://business.un.org/en/documents/161

Women’s empowerment: Economic empowerment

CECI Burkina Faso

$1.5m annual budget.

Ongoing programme Developing and promoting promising economic sectors that can generate the income necessary to improve living conditions for the poorest populations; Bolstering health services and empowering populations to take charge of their health care needs, particularly as regards maternal and child health (immunization and vaccination) and reproductive health (STI/AIDS, family planning); www.ceci.ca

Community Development: Sustainable incomes, Health care.



Programme Theme

CECI Mali Ongoing programme To highlight the importance of human rights; To support and strengthen democracy and empower women; To improve the health care system; To develop the shea butter industry as well as social and solidarity economy policies. www.ceci.ca

Women’s empowerment: Collective action & Economic empowerment.

CECI

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger

2009-‐13 $1m

Cooperatives for Women Shea Producers To encourage sustainability throughout the value chain, proper management of agro-‐forestry resources, development of carbon-‐neutral production techniques, and increases in sales and exports. http://www.ceci.ca/en/where-‐we-‐work/africa/burkina-‐faso/projects/cooperatives-‐for-‐women-‐shea-‐producers/

Women’s empowerment: Collective action.

UNDP/Japan Women in Development Fund (JWIDF)

Ghana 2008 ongoing

Support for women’s entrepreneurship To improve proficiency in shea butter production, marketing and promotion. More than 1,000 women in the three northern regions trained through peer training by the 10 master trainers An association consisting of 17 groups (as of July 2008) was established for ensuring quality, quantity, marketing and management. JICA Training manuals for shea butter production used for training. http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/africa/ticad/ticadfollow-‐up/report/status/PR000107.html

Women’s empowerment: Economic empowerment.

USAID Benin Priorities Education; Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment; Global Health; Water http://www.usaid.gov/benin/our-‐work

Cross-‐cutting

USAID Burkina Faso

Priorities Agriculture and Food Security; Education; Global Health; Working in Crises and Conflict http://www.usaid.gov/burkina-‐faso/our-‐work Shea Industry Promotion 2011 $300,000 for technical assistance to producers for cultivation, processing and marketing key crops including shea nut. http://tcb.eads.usaidallnet.gov/docs/car/2011/burkina_faso.pdf

Cross-‐cutting

USAID Côte d’Ivoire

Priorities Democracy, Human Rights and Governance; Global Health; Working in Crises and Conflict http://www.usaid.gov/cote-‐divoire/our-‐work

Cross-‐cutting

USAID Ghana, Nigeria

Priorities Agriculture and Food Security; Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance; Economic Growth and Trade; Education; Global Health; Water; Working in Crises and Conflict http://www.usaid.gov/ghana/our-‐work http://www.usaid.gov/nigeria/our-‐work

Cross-‐cutting



Programme Theme

USAID Mali Priorities Agriculture and Food Security; Democracy, Human Rights and Governance; Education; Environment; Global Health; Working in Crises and Conflict http://www.usaid.gov/mali/our-‐work Shea Butter Export Promotion: 2005 $200,000 to improve the effectiveness of the value chain from collectors to exporters for shea nuts. To investigate the potential for adding value to the shea nut before it is exported. The focus is on rural collectors and processors of whom most are women. http://tcb.eads.usaidallnet.gov/docs/car/2005/mali.pdf

Cross-‐cutting

CIDA Mali 2013-‐15 $20m

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Southern Mali To improve the health of 455,000 people in the most vulnerable communities in southern Mali. It addresses the need for safe water, sanitation facilities, and better hygiene in these communities. This need has intensified as a result of the humanitarian and political crisis following the coup d'état in March 2012. Focus in the regions of Mopti, Koulikoro and Sikasso. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F24161B1C083034385257B3B003595D8

Community Development: Basic services

CIDA Mali 2011-‐12 $40,000

Capacity Strengthening for Women Producers of Shea Butter http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/acdi-‐cida/contributions.nsf/Eng/7A4EE4D8562209B78525793D0042DE20

Women’s empowerment: Collective action

CIDA Mali 2012-‐16 £1.1m

Reduction of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality To improve maternal and neonatal health and helps improve access to and quality of care for more than 596,919 pregnant women, new mothers and their newborns. The project aligns with the Government of Mali’s priorities to improve the quality of and access to health services in order to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates, which remain high in Mali. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/CE13282C19B58B2D85257AAF003B2702

Community Development: Maternal Health

CIDA Mali 2012-‐17 $15m

Community-‐Based Nutritional Health To reduce infant mortality in the Kayes, Koulikoro, Ségou, Sikasso, and Bamako regions, by improving the nutritional status of children under the age of five and of pregnant and nursing women and reducing the overall malnutrition rate. To improve the ability of community and healthcare stakeholders to prevent, detect, and treat malnutrition, as well as to plan, manage, monitor and evaluate nutritional programs. The project also helps with diagnosing malnutrition at an early stage in children under the age of two, handling cases of moderate acute malnutrition that are detected among pregnant and nursing women and children aged 6-‐59 months, and increasing knowledge of good health and nutritional practices among women and the heads of household. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/FDA242D89C593DF485257AB8003B254B

Community Development: Child nutrition



Programme Theme

CIDA Mali 2012-‐15 $20m

Basic Health Care and Nutrition for Mothers and Children (SESAME) To help strengthen the detection, treatment, and prevention of acute malnutrition and to help combat some of the major causes of child mortality, through immunization and improved care at the community level. The project aims to support the provision of basic health services, contribute to the response to the nutrition crisis in Mali, and ensure that the Malian population has access to vaccines and essential drugs. To establish a mechanism for active detection and treatment of severely malnourished children at the community level; promoting adequate nutrition for infants and young children; as well as ensuring the timely supply of vaccines included in the national immunization program. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/C9B3F517D849E40A85257AB8003B25EC

Community Development: Nutrition

CIDA Mali 2012-‐15 $20m

Support to Mali's Education Sector To help the Ministry of Education, Literacy and National Languages implement its national education program (known by the French acronym PISE). PISE places special emphasis on the education of girls, initial and ongoing teacher training, early childhood development, and informal education. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/316EE25CC68B7AC7852579C80035B3EE

Community Development: Girls’ Education

CIDA Mali 2011-‐17 $3m

Civil Society Organizations Support Program To improve development policies and programs in Mali by building the capacities of civil society organizations (CSOs) of Mali to ensure that national policies reflect pro-‐poor interests and focus on poverty reduction. The program supports activities to build the capacities of CSOs at all levels, from grass-‐roots to umbrella organizations, in policy dialogue, analysis, research, and citizen engagement. Support to strengthen the internal governance of CSOs is also part of all capacity building activities. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/6A1FB46084ADB5DF852578B800371792

Community Development: CSOs

CIDA Burkina Faso

2006-‐14 $9.3m

Revitalization of Agri-‐food Sectors To revitalize three target agri-‐food sub-‐sectors (milk, bananas, shea butter), mainly for the local market but also for the sub-‐regional and international markets, depending on the sub-‐sector, to increase household income and job opportunities in target urban and rural areas. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebProjByNumEn/25567037225EDF4C852570B30036FE03

Community Development: Agriculture Livelihoods

CIDA Mali 2008-‐15 $14m

Agricultural Sector Supply Chains To improve the performance of selected agricultural supply chains by intervening in critical phases of production, processing, and marketing chains. The project focuses mainly on producing shea nuts. A focus on strengthening gender equality by emphasizing activities usually initiated by women. Women are thus in a better position to meet their specific needs, while increasing their influence in several sectors (economic, social, and political). The project is also a timely response to food insecurity in Mali. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/cpo.nsf/vWebProjByNumEn/6EACBF1CEC24F707852574C10037088A

Community Development: Agriculture Livelihoods

CIDA Niger 2007-‐8 $91,000

Support for Shea Butter Development Activities for the Women of ALHERI Union, Gaya http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/acdi-‐cida/contributions.nsf/Eng/C36C89D5D7730EED852579B50068262D

Women’s Empowerment: Collective Action



Programme Theme

CIDA

Ghana 2012-‐17 $18m

Greater Rural Opportunities for Women (GROW). Production (improved input supplies, awareness of improved techniques, drip irrigation technologies, credit, training); Post-‐harvest handling (storage, sorting, processing such as solar drying, customized loan products, training); Facilitation of market linkages (sales agent model, strategies to deal more effectively with traders, market information and ability to use market information in sales transactions, basic business management and access to target markets). http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/67F75976EC11F417852579C10035AA4D

Women’s Empowerment: Economic

CIDA Ghana 2013-‐18 $7.7m

Food Security Through Cooperatives in Northern Ghana To ensure that poor smallholder farmers and their families in Northern Ghana have enough nutritious food to eat throughout the year. It helps smallholder farmers increase the amount of food they produce and get a good price for their crops. The project works with farmers’ cooperatives to provide farmers with training in cultivating alternative crops, marketing, and business management. Through the cooperatives, it also helps farmers gain access to drought-‐resistant seed varieties, tools, crop storage facilities, and farm equipment such as tillers and tractors. The project works with credit unions to provide farmers with access to loans, so that they can invest in their farms. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/F90F97D80419B44D85257B2C0035A918

Community Development: Food security, Climate adaptation & gender equality

CIDA Ghana 2012-‐16 $9m

Enhanced Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Services in Schools and Communities To improve health and well-‐being of children in schools, and of women and men in communities, in the five most deprived regions of Ghana. The project’s targeted beneficiaries are children and youth in 150 basic schools (i.e. primary and junior high) as well as communities in 10 districts. Through the delivery of water, basic sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, the project aims to enhance WASH service uptake and sanitation practices among the beneficiary population. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/2784A1EE9EBE9EB2852579CD004F0AC9

Community Development: WASH services

CIDA Ghana 2012-‐17 $15m

Reducing Maternal and Child Undernutrition To reduce child morbidity and mortality by scaling up proven nutrition interventions to the most vulnerable populations of northern Ghana. Early identification of severely malnourished children by trained and appropriately equipped frontline health workers. This allows treating effectively most of the children at home by a simple provision of therapeutic food and micronutrient supplements. To assist the Government of Ghana in the development and implementation of a strong and coherent national nutrition policy. Finally, a gender sensitive nutrition information and surveillance system will be developed in the 3 northern regions to enable the government and development partners to improve monitoring of nutrition programs, decision-‐making and timely response in the three northern regions. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/4A6A423FA901C7D785257997003B3D82

Community Development: Nutrition



Programme Theme

CIDA Ghana 2011-‐15 $640,000

The Leyaata (“Rescue Us”) Project to Reduce Maternal, Infant and Child Mortality To reduce maternal, infant and child mortality in 50 marginalized villages in the north Kintampo and south Bole districts of Ghana by directly addressing key health issues. Reaching approximately 10,000 beneficiaries, the project addresses care during pregnancy and childbirth, neonatal care, and malaria control as critical health concerns in these communities. Key project components include establishing a prenatal and neonatal home visit system for pregnant women and infants, and launching a malaria control program that prioritizes mothers and infants. http://www.acdi-‐cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/vWebCSAZEn/7E4DFE9CD8BD0570852579520037D96F

Community Development: Reduce maternal and child mortality.

Documents

Support’for’GSA’SustainabilityProject · PDF fileSupport’for’GSA’SustainabilityProject! Research(on(three(labour(and(development(sustainability*issues! ... SIDA# Swedish!International!Development!Cooperation!Agency!