Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for targeted capital, modern technology, and enhanced research to empower women and modernise Ghana’s shea sector.
Speaking at the World Shea Expo in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang stressed that the traditional label of shea as “women’s gold” must reflect in the actual economic returns gained by local processors. She noted that women, who form the backbone of the trade, require equitable access to financial resources, processing technology, and market opportunities to establish ownership across the entire value chain.
” Shea is often described as ‘women’s gold.’ If that description is to be truly meaningful, the women at the heart of the industry must receive a fairer share of the value it creates,” she stated.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang identified the proposed Women’s Development Bank as a key mechanism to address credit constraints facing rural entrepreneurs. According to her, smallholder processors do not require unmanageable capital, but accessible, tailor-made funding to scale up existing operations.
As part of efforts to modernise production, the Vice President participated in the planting of elite shea seedlings at a demonstration farm in Futa. The exercise highlighted ongoing agronomic research aimed at cultivating early-fruiting and high-yielding varieties, moving away from exclusive reliance on wild, naturally regenerated trees.
She urged tertiary institutions, agricultural researchers, and commercial processors to deepen partnerships to drive product innovation, enhance yield capacity, and create sustainable employment for young people across the northern ecological zone.
By; Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
