Shea Nut More Beneficial to Ghana Than Cocoa?

Byline: Mathias Aboba

Owing to the multitude of great things attributed to Shea butter and the Shea tree, the Shea Industry is attracting a lot of attention around the world, and in Ghana many are of the view that despite ages of neglect from government and its contribution to poverty reduction and it has the potentials to do more than the nation's number one export earner-cocoa.

The economic value of shea nut has for long been known to be enormous: the vegetable oil obtained from the nuts when processed popularly known as shea butter has great demand on the local and international markets. For well over a century, shea butter is notably a common ingredient in food and soup besides its use as body lotion in rural Ghana. It is also popular for its medicinal value. Its by-products are equally used in waterproofing of house walls. The shea tree has also been the great source of wood for tools, fuel …