Maiden world shea expo to be launched in Tamale Wednesday

The upcoming World Shea Expo 2024 is set to take place in Tamale, Ghana, from July 23 to 25, 2024. The event is expected to bring together stakeholders from the shea value chain, including women pickers, farmers, processors, researchers, aggregators, associations, women groups, and financial institutions.

The launch of the expo will be performed by the wife of the Vice-President, Samira Bawumia. The event aims to promote and create both local and international markets for the commodity, and is being jointly organized by the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and Savannah Golden Tree Ltd.

The theme of the expo is “Shea Sustainability Expo: Nurturing Growth, Empowering Communities.” Other partners include the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), COCOBOD, Eximbank, Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), International Labour Organisation (ILO), University for Development Studies (UDS), and the Canadian Africa Trade and Innovation Expo 2024.

The Executive Director of the World Shea Expo 2024, Chief Adams Tampuri, stated that the event will provide a platform for innovation, collaboration, and networking among actors in the shea value chain. It will also highlight the contribution of shea as a main source of income for many rural women in the Savannah Ecological Zone and create market linkages to boost production and processing.

The expo will recognize the efforts and contributions of women, youth, and small to medium enterprises who dedicate their time to picking about 40 per cent of nuts in the bush annually. It will also showcase extensive research works undertaken by institutions such as the Cocoa Research Institute at Bole to reduce the gestation period of the shea tree.

The event is expected to be graced by the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. Selected products from the expo will be showcased in North America through the Canada Africa Trade and Innovation Expo 2024 in Ontario, Canada, from September 6 to 7 this year.

The Northern Regional Minister, Shani Alhassan Shaibu, described the expo as a novelty event that would bring various stakeholders and international business entities to Tamale. He emphasized that the initiative would help to boost the potential of the shea industry and create sustainable livelihoods, particularly for women in the region and beyond.

Savannah Golden Tree Ltd was established in 2018 with the goal of promoting the shea product and creating both local and international markets for businesses. The company aims to showcase Ghana’s shea nut industry to countries such as the US, China, Japan, and the UAE.

I made some minor changes to improve clarity and grammar. I also added some transitions to make the text flow better. Let me know if you have any further requests!