By Samuel SAM
The World Shea Expo 2024 maiden edition, aimed at promoting shea production and creating both local and international markets for the commodity, will be launched in Tamale, the Northern Region capital.
The Expo will be launched by the second lady Samira Bawumia on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, and is aimed to empower more women and youth within the sector’s value chain for economic growth.
It is expected to bring together all actors in the shea value chain – such as women pickers, farmers, processors, researchers, aggregators, various associations, women groups and financial institutions.
Jointly organised by the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and Savannah Golden Tree Limited, the event is themed ‘Shea Sustainability Expo; Nurturing Growth, Empowering Communities’.
The other partners are Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), COCOBOD, EXIMBANK, Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), International Labour Organisation (ILO) and University for Development Studies (UDS).
Scheduled to take place at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale from July 23 to 25, 2024, the main Expo is expected to be graced by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Boosting sector
The Executive Director of World Shea Expo 2024, Chief Adams Tampuri, during an interview with B&FT in Tamale said the event will help create a platform to showcase innovation, collaboration and networking among actors in the shea value chain.
“It will also link value chain actors to international markets and investors, who will assist in promoting the shea sector and its economic value in the region,” he said.
He indicated that the Expo will promote and highlight the contributions of shea, which is the main source of income for many rural women in the Savannah Ecological Zone, while creating market linkages to boost production and processing go the commodity.
Beyond that, he said it will publicly recognise the efforts and contributions of women, youth and the small to medium enterprises who dedicate their time to pick about 40 percent of nuts in the bush annually; and also showcase extensive research work that institutions such as the Cocoa Research Institute at Bole has undertaken to reduce the shea tree’s gestation period.
“This landmark event, co-organised by Savannah Golden Tree Limited, marks a pivotal moment in the global shea industry – bringing together esteemed partners and stakeholders committed to advancing shea sustainability and empowering communities across Africa and beyond,” Chief Tampuri said.
He noted that selected products from the World Shea Expo will be showcased in North America through the Canada Africa Trade and Innovation Expo 2024 in London, Ontario, Canada, on September 6 to 7 this year, bolstered by the esteemed support of the World Super foods Expo.
He further thanked NRCC and all partners for supporting the initiative and called on all stakeholders to support the programme.
Novel initiative
For his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Shaibu, described the Expo as a novelty that will bring various key stakeholders and international business entities to Tamale.
He said the initiative will help to boost the shea industry’s potential in creating sustainable livelihoods, particularly for women in the region and beyond – adding that it will recognise shea farmers and their invaluable contributions to the global market.
While appealing to various corporate institutions and development partners to support the intervention, he reiterated his outfit’s commitment to ensuring the event’s success.
Background
Spearheaded by Savannah Golden Tree Ltd., the World Shea Expo is scheduled to take place in Tamale and represents a collaborative effort involving key stakeholders such as the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, ministries, financial institutions, export promotion agencies, shea associations, women groups in shea production, private enterprises and international donors.
This annual event aims to consistently illuminate Ghana’s pivotal role in the global shea industry and the significant contributions of over one million stakeholders within the Ghanaian shea value chain.
Established in 2018, Savannah Golden Tree Ltd. seeks to promote the shea product and create both local and international markets for businesses, as well as showcase Ghana’s shea-nut Industry to the world in countries such as the USA, China, Japan and UAE among others.
