Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called for greater investment in women involved in Ghana’s shea industry, saying those who sustain the sector must receive a larger share of the value it generates.
Speaking at the World Shea Expo in Tamale, the Vice President said women need better access to finance, technology and markets, as well as greater opportunities to establish and own businesses across the shea value chain.
She said the description of shea as “women’s gold” would only have meaning if women at the centre of the industry benefited more substantially from its economic value.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang identified the Women’s Development Bank as one avenue through which access to finance could be expanded for women in the sector.
She said many women did not necessarily require large amounts of capital but needed accessible and appropriate financing to expand businesses they already understood and operated.
The Vice President also highlighted the importance of research and innovation in developing Ghana’s shea industry.
At a demonstration farm in the Futa Community, she participated in the symbolic planting of specially selected shea seedlings, highlighting research into new varieties and their potential to improve the productivity of shea resources.
She said stronger collaboration between universities, research institutions, farmers and industry could help improve productivity, develop new shea-based products and create opportunities for young people.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said increased investment in research, finance and processing could transform Ghana’s shea belt into a stronger centre for processing, innovation and commerce.
She said this would also help ensure that a greater proportion of the economic value generated from shea remains in the communities where the resource originates.