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.

Project expansion: March 2024

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 received 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.

In 2024 the group produced and sold 7,690 kg of butter, earning a profit of £6,189 (an 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.”

Project Expansion: August 2025

Between February 2022 and February 2025, this project supported 90 female shea nut collectors to establish a value addition enterprise processing shea nuts into high-value shea butter to increase their financial resilience.

In August 2025, with additional funding from Guernsey Overseas Aid, we launched a third project to increase the group size to 151 women (the whole female membership of Copronos) and transition from manual into mechanical production to improve productivity and income. Additionally, a borehole will support butter production and provide water access for 3600 community members.

This project aims to scale up and strengthen a women-led shea butter production enterprise, providing employment to 151 female nut collectors.

With the provision of training and equipment, the group will transition to mechanised production, enhancing quality, increasing production by 228% and monthly income by 45% supporting long-term economic development.

As part of this project, a borehole has also been established to provide access to water, a vital component in butter production, and access to clean water for 300 rural households.

Project aims:

• Support 151 shea nut collectors to establish a mechanised shea butter production enterprise
• Increase annual shea butter production from 7.6 tons per year to 25 tons
• Increase the monthly income of the project participants by 45% (from £29 to £42)
• Increase access to clean water for butter production and for the use of 3,600 community members

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We hope you enjoyed learning about this Shared Interest Foundation project.

Since 2004, thanks to our incredible supporters, Shared Interest Foundation has delivered 51 projects in 15 countries, reaching over 13,000 farmers and artisans. 

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If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to speak with a member of the Foundation team via email here.