Shea Nut Business In Northern Ghana

The economic situation in Northern Ghana has always not been something pleasing. The over-reliance on a single farming season has been blamed most of the time for this situation. Some economic researchers have estimated the market value of shea trees and concluded that if we can take care of them very well, we would one day kiss our problems goodbye.
It is unfortunate we can't farm cocoa and we don't have timber either. But, we have shea nuts which have been estimated as having a great economic potential to turn our fortunes around, provided we are patient at cultivating and harvesting these in commercial quantities. There are many uses of shea trees and shea nuts:

Shea trees are among the major cash crops of northern Ghana

1. Using the dried branches of shea trees for firewood
2. Eating the shea nuts when they are ripe as food
3. Processing the nuts to obtain butter which has many uses such as: for, cooking, for pomade, in pottery, medicinal purposes, and a host of other uses.

So, what do we do? I guess a lot of village folk are yet to appreciate the huge economic value associated with the precious crop. They limit their view to uses of the crop at home and end it there. They have never heard of the exportation of shea nuts. They are yet to awaken to the news. They are yet to know how developed countries are craving for shea butter and shea nuts.

I guess we have to create a lot of awareness about the importance of this crop and its ability to turn our fortunes around as a people. This can be done if the enlightened among us step into the business of trading in shea nuts. It has the potential of gingering the local folk to take the business seriously.