Ghana's shea industry is not taking care of the women behind its growth

By Abiba Yayah, Postdoctoral Associate, University of Calgary

Ghana’s shea industry has a rich history. Shea – nkuto, karite, galam in some west African languages – is deeply embedded in the culture and tradition of the country’s northern regions. It is often considered a woman’s crop – women pick the fruit and extract its “butter” – and has acquired the name “woman’s gold” because rural women earn income from its sale.

The crop is not just locally important, though. Shea butter, derived from the nuts of the shea tree, has become a global commodity. It is used widely as an ingredient in the confectionery, cosmetics…

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