Commodity chain : Shea Tree - Benin

The shea tree

The shea tree cannot be grown: it is a "naturally biological tree" which supports food producing crops such as yam, sorghum or millet. It is protected by rural populations and notably women. 20 to 25 years will pass before a tree is able to carry fruits which will allow to produce between 2 and 4 kg of shea butter every year, for 300 years.

Background History of the Project

The story of Terrethic starts with an end of study dissertation produced at the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Marseille (Euromed): Strategies for development of shea butter in Africa (2006). Richard Abodjo, then an expert of the rural world for SNV (a Dutch organisation for development), was the first person to be interviewed for the dissertation who recommended another development trail for the Shea chain in Benin. He was making the following remark : "We have seen several co-op projects fail, producers were equipped with machines and financial support from NGO's, but could not sell their produce as they did not master the quality criteria upstream (quality of nuts and butter) nor the marketing and commercialisation downstream (selling on high added value markets)".

Karethic is then given birth, under the impulse of Carole Tawema, Glwadys Tawema (of Beninese origin) and Maguette Ba (who leaves the project in 2010. This is formed as a French association in 2007 and evolves to a Beninese limited liability company in 2008. The objective is to master the quality of shea butter and to identify the added value markets which would remain perennial for the producers. As of 2008 and up to this day, the following actors have been supporting the development of the Karethic chain:

In Benin: The Beninese Ministry for Prospective and Development, the Ministry of Agriculture, The GTZ (a support organisation for the rural world based in Germany) and Helvetas (a Swiss organisation).

In the United States: USAID through WATH (an American program for the promotion of West African products).

In France : The Town Council of Paris, The New Economical African Chamber in Paris.

TERRETHIC is founded in 2010 to finalise the Kerethic chain and to get ready to open the logistical and commercial barriers of the European markets. The biological certification and the Fair Trade guarantee allowed for an increase of sales and for the support of Ekibio on the valorisation of the quality of butter produced in the specialised circuit.

By end of 2011, the first treatments based on shea butter with a Bio Equitable guarantee are launched.

Local Partners

Ministry of Prospective and Development

GTZ (Organisation for International Cooperation on development)

ABEPEC (Beninese Agency for the Promotion of Trade)

Context

Selecting the Atacora region was natural as its soils are free of chemical inputs and because the region is known for its culture of shea, unique in Benin.

Stakes

To contribute to the development of an autonomous economical network, selected by local communities, to fight against poverty in rural areas, thanks to the culture of shea.

To assist in the education of girls and the elimination of illiteracy of women by giving value to the role of women within the shea chain.

To make revenues durable and to increase said revenues by increasing professionalism of the chain (quality training) and by widening the range of activities linked to the production of shea butter.

To protect virgin soils from chemical inputs and to protect food producing agriculture by giving added value to the shea chain while promoting the ecological, economical and socio-cultural role of the shea tree.

Program Description

1-Training on the production of quality kernels and butter for groups willing to engage into a biological and Bio Equitable approach with Karethic (2 months)

2-Certification of the identified biological areas (12 months)

3-Identification of products which can be transformed locally, opening of new opportunities and implementation of an international competitive advantage for the groups (continuous).

4-Fair partnership with Karethic and Terrethic on the basis of the fair opportunities identified in Africa by Karethic and in Europe by Terrethic.

5-Diversification of the activities of women producers and of the shea community (fair tourism, traditional crafts, etc), with the objective to secure the shea resource.

Company engaged in this Commodity Chain

TERRETHIC SARL