Shea butter: connecting rural Burkinabè women to international markets through fair trade

Abstract

Processed by rural West African women and desired by wealthy Northern consumers of natural beauty products, shea butter seems a prime candidate for fair trade, yet to date there has been little study of the industry. This article analyses the opportunities and constraints of the development of fair-trade exports of shea butter from Burkina Faso, taking into account the context in which shea is produced and sold locally and internationally, the concept of fair trade, and the impact of gender relations on shea production. Although a definitive positive or negative determination cannot be made, given the complex and divergent factors affecting the potential international market and the production process, the author finds that the development of the fair-trade shea butter industry in Burkina Faso has great potential. However, such development must occur with restraint and consideration of possible challenges and limitations, in order to remain sustainable and viable for rural female producers.

Acknowledgement

The fieldwork that informed this article was carried out under the auspices of the Uniterra programme of the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and le Centre de l'éducation et cooperation international (CECI). The support of both organisations is greatly appreciated. The author would like to thank the members of l'Union des groupements des productrices des produits de beurre du karité de Sissili-Ziro (UGPPK/S-Z) and the family Yago Diasso in Léo, Burkina Faso for their hospitality, inspiration, and teachings, as well as Dr Carol Dauda, Department of Political Science, University of Guelph for her guidance in the research and writing of this paper.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Delaney Greig

Delaney Greig studies International Development and Economics at the University of Guelph. She began studying shea butter after working with a women's co-operative in Burkina Faso, and has since conducted an intensive examination of the potential for fair-trade export of this indigenous commodity. Her research interests are gender relations, agricultural economics, fair trade, HIV/AIDS, and Africa.