The Savannah Golden Tree Limited in collaboration with the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, has inagurated the maiden edition of World Shea Expo 2024 in Tamale, the Northern Regional Capital.
The Expo brought together all actors in the shea value such as women pickers, processors, researchers, aggregators, various associations and financial institutions.
Delivering his welcome address, Chief Adams Tampuri, the Executive Director of the World Shea Expo 2024, said, the World Shea Expo ,spearheaded by Savannah Golden Tree Limited and supported by a coalition of stakeholders, is more than just an event.
The Expo aims to raise awareness about the lucrative in the international market for shea ,bolster foreign Exchange earnings, generate employment and foster prosperity especially in the global shea industry.
He revealed that despite Covid- 19 disrupting the 2020 event, its come-back showcase the resilience of the vision.
He took the opportunity to invite investors and stakeholders to the main event which comes of from the 23rd to the 25th of July, 2024,at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium.
Chief Adams Tampuri disclosed that the Theme of the maiden event is “Shea Sustainability, EXPO; Nurturing Growth, Empowering Communities “.
On his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Hon.Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, said, the Shea Industry embodies a lifestyle for countless individuals throughout West Africa. Across generations, the Shea Tree has served as an essential source of sustenance, economic stability and cultural heritage for communities.
He added that the shea Industry in the World is an age- old Industry burdened with many challenges that needs drastic solutions to make it attractive to all and sundry.
To address the challenges that persist along the value chain, he stated the need to tackle the unfair pricing issues by addressing pricing disparities to ensure fair compensation for shea producers. Additionally, in order not to lose the shea trees to felling and burning, there is the need to commit to conservation efforts and responsible harvesting practices to ensure the sustainability of the resource.
He makes a passionate appeal to support women pickers who pick the shea and process them into the shea butter using traditional knowledge pass down over generations.
” These hardworking women have been the backbone of the industry and we must do more to support them by introducing new technologies and effective methods and processing as well as making sure that they get a fair price for their products on a broder market, which is exactly what the Expo seeks to address “. He said.
Delivery the Keynote Address on behalf of Her Excellency, Hajia Samira Bawumia, Hajia Mariam Iddrisu Bugala ,said , the Expo symbolizes the collective effort to elevate the Shea Industry to new heights, ensuring that its benefits are widely shared and sustained over time.
According to her, the Shea Industry is more than an economic engine; it is a vehicle for social transformation by empowering women and Youth, addressing some of the most pressing issues in the society.
She added that the environmental dimension at the Shea Industry cannot be overstated in an escalating climate change, sustainable practices in shea cultivation and processing are critical.
She, therefore, admonished all stakeholders, government entities, private sector players, investors, Reserch Institutions such as University For Development Studies and international partners to remain steadfast in their support.
