'TAP POTENTIAL OF SHEA-NUT (PAGE 43, JUNE 21, 2010)

Story: Vincent Amenuveve, Tamale
PARTICIPANTS in a stakeholders meeting on unleashing the potentials of the shea nut industry have called for effective collaboration between research institutions, universities and farming groups to fully tap the potential of the crop.
They noted, for instance, that issues such as reducing the gestation period of the plant and enforcing bye-laws against indiscriminate bush burning in order to protect the shea nut trees were critical to the survival of the industry.
The participants were drawn from farming groups, research institutions and the Produce Buying Company (PBC).
The meeting was aimed at sharing findings of a report on “unleashing the shea potentials” with stakeholders. It was also to initiate a broad-base campaign on shea, as well as facilitate a platform for progressive discussions on the industry.
The Ghana Trade Livelihoods Coalition (GTLC) organised the event.
The Deputy Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana at Akyem Tafo in the Eastern Region, Dr Francis Kofi Oppong, emphasised the need for “domestication of the shea tree with the view to reducing its gestation period.”
According to him, one of the mandates of the Cocoa Research Institute was to help reduce the gestation period of the plant and commended the University for Development Studies (UDS) for making giant strides in that area.
Presenting key findings of the report, the Coordinator of the GTLC, Mr Ibrahim Akalbila, stated that the document revealed serious challenges in research for improved varieties, inconsistent policy for the sector, difficulties of picking and processing by women groups and inadequate shea value chain.
He said other problems that had bedevilled the industry included low and fluctuating pricing, decades of neglect by policy makers, especially government, widespread suspicion and mistrust among actors in the system, as well as inadequate information on the plant.
“The industry is a very vibrant one though little has been done in terms of policy, research and support to boost it. It could help eradicate poverty and improve the livelihoods of people in northern Ghana," Mr Akalbila further stated.
He suggested, among other things, the need to “domesticate the plant while ensuring that pickers and processors were provided with equipment.”
The co-ordinator further stressed the need for clearly defined educational campaigns and ensuring that adequate funding and transportation were provided for research purposes and conveying the nuts from farming centres to processing areas.