Improving livelihoods through agro-processing

Project details

In rural Burkina Faso shea trees, known as ‘women’s gold’, offer economic opportunities for women through nut collection and agro-processing. However, nut collectors only earn on average £29 per month.

In 2022 we delivered a one year project to enhance the resilience of 50 female shea nut collectors in southern Burkina Faso. Project participants received training and equipment to process shea nuts into butter and soap for sale on the local and export markets. Ten women were also trained in the production of Soumbala, a popular local spice made from the seeds of the néré tree, renowned for its high protein and dietary mineral content.

In March 2024, with additional funding from the Evan Cornish Foundation, this project was extended to support a further 40 women with training and equipment to produce shea butter.

Participants are receiving training in shea butter production, marketing, and entrepreneurship skills to build capacity in processing and sales. The first production cycle yielded 1,540 kg of shea butter, generating 1,800,000 XOF (£2,294), with part of the income reinvested into growing the enterprise further.

Project aims

1. Increase the economic development and financial resilience of 40 female shea nut collectors through the processing of shea nuts into butter for added value.

2. Equip 40 women with the skills to manage their shea processing enterprise sustainably and profitably.

3. Enable 40 women to increase their household income by 50% to enable them to better meet the needs of their household.

Project results

In 2024 the group produced and sold 7,690 kg of butter, earning a profit of £6,189 (average of £68 per woman)

Participant story

Meet Orokia Kone

Orokia lives in the community of Samogohiri with her husband and five children. Alongside collecting shea nuts to sell, she grows maize and beans to provide food for her family. Orokia participated in this agro-processing project receiving training and production kits to produce shea butter.

After the first year of production Orokia received XOF 50,000 (£64) from the butter sales. With this income she was able to hire a tractor for the first time to plough her farmland (previously this was work she performed manually). As a result, she doubled the size of her farm from 1/4 hectare to 1/2 hectare, increasing the volume of the food crops she grows to feed her family. To supplement her income, Orikia also makes a local cake which she sells in her neighbourhood.

Orikia said: “Before the project I could only afford to buy two tins of flour to make my cakes; now with the money I got from the shea butter project, I buy one full bag of flour and my sales have increased from XOF 7,500 to XOF 10,000 per month.”

“Before this project, I could not provide good food for my children, I could not buy them clothing when they needed them, I could not give them a good life. Now I give them good food and everybody is happy. Now my children and I, we dress well.”