The Global Shea Alliance (GSA) has marked this year’s Shea Day with a renewed call for governments, traditional authorities, communities and development partners to intensify efforts to restore and protect Africa’s shea parklands to safeguard livelihoods and the future of the industry.
The Alliance said protecting shea resources was essential for sustaining rural livelihoods, preserving biodiversity and ensuring the long-term growth of the shea value chain.
The call was contained in a speech delivered on behalf of Mr Aaron Adu, Managing Director of GSA, during the celebration held at Buipe in the Savannah Region.
Shea Day forms part of the Alliance’s annual Shea Month campaign, observed every July, to mobilise governments, traditional authorities, local communities, researchers, development partners and the private sector to support the conservation and sustainable development of the shea sector.
The event brought together traditional leaders, government officials, development partners, researchers, private sector players and women engaged in the shea value chain.
As part of the celebration, participants planted shea seedlings to support restoration efforts.
The Alliance said it planned to plant 900,000 shea seedlings, including improved grafted varieties, during this year’s Shea Month campaign.
The initiative also includes community sensitisation programmes, online advocacy and community events across the shea belt to promote restoration and conservation.
In the address, read by Mr Iddi Zakaria, Ghana’s Representative on the Board of the Global Shea Alliance, Mr Adu said the celebration recognised not only the shea tree but also its significant contribution to generations of rural communities, particularly women whose livelihoods depend on the industry.
He warned that West Africa was losing an estimated eight million shea trees annually due to population growth, agricultural expansion, bushfires, unsustainable tree felling and climate change.
He cautioned that if the trend continued, global demand for shea products would outstrip supply by 2044, threatening biodiversity, rural economies and the incomes of millions of women working in the shea value chain.
Mr Adu said the Alliance was addressing the challenge through its Action for Shea Parklands initiative, which aims to nurture 10 million shea and indigenous trees, restore four million hectares of shea parklands, empower 10 million women to sustainably manage shea landscapes and support 10 countries to strengthen policies protecting the sector by 2030.
“Every seedling planted today represents hope for tomorrow. Every mature shea tree protected represents a livelihood secured. Every community that joins this movement brings us one step closer to reversing the decline of Africa’s shea landscapes,” he said.
Mr Adu expressed appreciation to development partners, including the United Nations Development Programme, the Green Climate Fund, the French Development Agency and the Mastercard Foundation, for supporting the shea industry.
He also acknowledged the contributions of the Government of Ghana, particularly the Forestry Commission, the Tree Crops Development Authority and the Office of the President, for their continued leadership.
Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, in a speech read on his behalf, described shea as one of Ghana’s most strategic natural resources with significant untapped economic potential.
He urged the country to move beyond exporting raw shea nuts by investing in value addition through the local production of shea butter, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and confectionery products for domestic and international markets.
Dr Hugh Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, whose speech was also read on his behalf, commended traditional authorities, women shea collectors and processors, nursery operators, farmers and local communities for their contributions to restoring degraded landscapes and conserving shea resources.
He called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to conserve biodiversity, enhance climate resilience and create more economic opportunities through sustainable shea production and value addition.
Mr Mahama Fuseini, Central Gonja District Chief Executive, underscored the importance of partnerships to promote sustainable shea production, empower women and young people and expand market opportunities to improve household incomes.
Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor II, Paramount Chief of the Buipe Traditional Area, described the shea tree as an integral part of the heritage and livelihoods of the Gonja people, noting that generations of families had depended on it for food, income and economic empowerment.
He urged communities to intensify efforts to prevent bushfires, protect young shea trees and promote sustainable land management practices, while commending the Global Shea Alliance and its partners for their commitment to restoring and protecting shea parklands.
