Shea trees in Ghana can yield nuts worth about 100 million Euros. Unfortunately these trees are under threat of extinction and consequently a threat to the livelihoods of millions of people. Since the trees grow in the wild, they are vulnerable to lumberjacks and others who use them for charcoal production. We have various interventions for this menace, including the establishment of shea conservation parklands. We work with local communities, leading them to set up and manage protected parklands.

Shea trees traditionally take about 30 years to mature. This makes the natural restoration of trees that are lost to bush fires, tree felling and harsh weather conditions very slow. To mitigate this, we work with our partners to raise and plant early maturing shea seedlings that take 3-5 years to mature. Our network of agents train rural women nurse these seedlings in nurseries we support them to set up.

It is no secret that the least beneficiaries of the profits in the shea value chain are the local producers - mostly women. We are changing that. Due to the high level of illiteracy among local producers, they lose sight of relevant financial and economic skills that can grow their businesses and improve their standard of living. Not anymore. The Sommalife team is actively building the capacity of local partners on financial literacy. This includes electronic financial transactions, and savings with our partner financial institutions. We are making it possible for smallholder producers to access loans and insurance.