Ghana’s shea industry, long a cornerstone of the Northern economy is undergoing a major transformation through the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP), an ambitious initiative designed to boost the shea value chain, create jobs, and promote sustainable land management.
Funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), and the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), the project is positioning shea as a critical driver of green economic growth in Ghana’s Northern Savannah Zone.
The shea industry contributes significantly to rural livelihoods, employing hundreds of thousands of women in collection, processing, and trade.
However, weak coordination, limited market access, and unsustainable land-use practices have long constrained its full economic potential.
Through GSLERP, stakeholders are tackling these challenges head-on—modernising production systems, restoring degraded landscapes, and strengthening linkages across the value chain.
A key milestone in this transformation is the Validation Workshop of the National Shea Commodity Platform (NSCP), which brought together producers, processors, financiers, and regulators to shape a unified governance and investment framework for the industry.
The NSCP is envisioned as a regulatory and coordination body that will streamline stakeholder collaboration, improve traceability, and attract both domestic and foreign investment into the shea economy.
Once operational, the platform will serve as a hub for policy alignment, quality control, and financial partnerships, helping Ghana capture greater value from its annual shea exports.
At the workshop, Mr. Ayirebi Frimpong, Forest Specialist at UNDP Ghana, underscored the economic significance of the initiative, saying:
“This project demonstrates how environmental management can directly translate into economic opportunity. By creating a structured and inclusive platform, we are building a foundation for sustainable growth that benefits communities, businesses, and the environment alike.”
The project aims to restore thousands of hectares of degraded shea parklands, improve yields, and strengthen the capacity of women’s cooperatives, key players in Ghana’s shea economy. Beyond its environmental focus, GSLERP is also seen as a catalyst for rural enterprise growth, encouraging investment in value-added processing and exports.
According to market analysts, global demand for shea butter, driven by the cosmetics and food industries is projected to exceed US$3.5 billion by 2030, positioning Ghana to capture a larger market share if it improves efficiency, quality standards, and branding.
Mr. Rich Kofi Kofituo, Deputy CEO of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to developing robust regulatory and investment frameworks for Ghana’s strategic crops, including shea, cashew, coconut, oil palm, rubber, and mango.
“Realising the potential of these crops requires more than regulation, it demands collaboration,” he said. “We are working with government agencies, NGOs, and financial institutions to ensure that the shea sector delivers value for every stakeholder, from the collector to the exporter.”
During breakout sessions, stakeholders reviewed the draft NSCP framework, proposed improvements to its structure, and identified financing gaps in value addition, logistics, and export promotion.
The feedback gathered will guide the rollout of the Shea Hub, a central platform to connect producers with processors, buyers, and financial partners.
A key outcome of the discussions was the consensus on youth integration within the shea industry. Participants stressed that sustained growth will depend on attracting and training young people in sustainable harvesting, processing technology, and entrepreneurship.
“We must ensure that young people are properly integrated into the shea industry,” said Mr. Adam Tampuri, a participant. “When the older generation retires, the youth must be ready and equipped to sustain and grow the industry.”
The validation of the National Shea Commodity Platform marks a major step toward building a competitive, climate-resilient, and inclusive shea industry.
By aligning environmental restoration with value-chain investment, the GSLERP initiative is positioning Ghana to become a regional hub for sustainable shea production and export.
If successfully implemented, the project could generate thousands of new jobs, boost foreign exchange earnings, and strengthen rural resilience, making the shea sector a model for how Ghana’s green economy can deliver both profit and sustainability.
