EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN IN THE SHEA INDUSTRY: THE CASE OF KUSAWGU IN THE CENTRAL GONJA DISTRICT, GHANA

Abstract

In recent times, the shea butter business has come into sight as a promising economic venture and has therefore gained international acknowledgment as a result of the curative properties of the product. This study therefore was necessitated by the enormous potentials the shea butter industry possesses and provides to the people of Kusawgu and for that matter Ghana. It is therefore imperative to explore their experiences with the Shea industry and what they recommend as ways to improve on the Shea business. Boafo (2014) posits that scrutinizing rural areas for propositions that will enhance the sustainability of the Shea business is imperative. In view of these objectives, the study adopted a qualitative research approach where Focused Group Discussion and Observation were used to elicit relevant information from the women groups. This research approach was considered to be suitable because it made it possible for the researcher to collect information from all the four (4) women groups engaged in the business as it facilitated the understanding of the dynamics and peculiarities of the shea butter industry in the Kusawgu community. The study however, revealed numerous critical issues among which include the lack of effective government policy framework document, inadequate financial and material support, difficulties with transportation, and the high dependence of the industry on natural shea plantations. Besides the lack of support from NGOs and government, the industry is still hopeful of receiving supports from such organizations in the near future. In view of the potentials and constraints, the groups proposed the following recommendations: the establishment of equipment and marketing financing scheme for shea butter processors, external support for women groups to grow shea nut plantations, Training for women in the business on how to package the product, and also market it, Capacity building and training for women in the business on the importance of group and individual savings, Management training for women in the business, provision of protective clothes and there is the need for a policy framework document to regulate activities of the shea industry in order to facilitate wealth creation and development.