ISODEC calls for a Shea Marketing Board

An appeal has once again been made to the government to establish an independent marketing board for the development of the shea industry and to provide it with the enabling environment to operate.

Such a board it is argued is needed to provide the coordination and leadership in the shea sector, particularly in regards to the coordination of activities of stakeholders, the provision of development options, information sources and conflict management.

It would also promote research, educate and market shea butter through licensing and standards regulation that would ensure buyers would get a known quality of the product.

Mrs Grace Abena Bowu, Northern Ghana Programs coordinator of the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), made the call at a press conference in Tamale to highlight on new research findings on the shea tree and its potential as a tool for poverty reduction in Northern Ghana.

The occasion was also to launch a research report carried out by ISODEC on the shea tree and funded by OXFAM, Ghana.

Mrs Bowu said the marketing of the shea would be improved through the value chain approach and taking advantage of the expanding market of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and by developing new products such as body lotions, improved soaps and pomades.

She also called for the development of a policy that would strengthen the local producers’ capacity to produce quality products by building up their skills in business management, bargaining skills and providing rural infrastructure that would reduce cost overheads in nut collection, both at the primary and secondary levels.

ISODEC however noted with satisfaction that government had already taken the initiative to improve the shea sector with the recent commissioning of the Buipe shea nut factory but called for the need to consolidate the gains already made.

ISODEC further appealed to the government and the Savana Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to consider its recommendations as a way of improving the shea sector to realize its full potential.

Source: GNA