How the shea tree can cultivate climate resilience

The shea tree (or karité in French) grows across the dry savannah belt in West Africa. Many consumers will recognise shea nuts, which are often processed to form a butter that is widely used in the food and cosmetic industries.

The shea industry has grown considerably over the last 10 years. In a sign of the growing significance of the product, it was the focus of the recent European Trade and Industry Conference - hosted by the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) on 11th April 2016 in Brussels.

During the one-day event in Brussels, five expert panels presented insights about technical and health benefits of shea-based ingredients, value chain organisation, industry economics, current trade barriers, and the GSA's latest efforts to ensure a sustainable supply. Acclimatise’s Sara Venturini presented the findings of a new report prepared for BRACED by Acclimatise and ODI. The paper explores the role of shea trees in building climate resilience of the Shea value chain and the whole economy in Burkina Faso.

Burkina Faso's economy is mainly driven by agriculture, a climate-vulnerable sector. Beyond this, the country remains largely economically undiversified apart from the extractive industry. Within the agricultural sector, Burkina Faso is one of West Africa's most important producers of shea kernels and butter. These cosmetic and food industry staples are an important source of subsistence for local communities and international demand is rising.

While the shea tree is relatively climate resilient and mostly at risk due to human practice, the shea value chain is susceptible to climate risks. Climate change acts as a 'threat-multiplier', interacting with other non-climate factors.

The Burkinabe government has adopted a framework with the aim of protecting the shea tree and supporting local communities involved in the shea production, which is a female-dominated industry. These communities are also included in the development of a comprehensive adaptation and resilience strategy within the value chain of shea.

These efforts are weakened by the fact that weather and climate information for Burkina Faso are lacking and often not very reliable. This presents an important obstacle for effective climate risk management in the shea value chain.

The shea production process provides many opportunities to improve the resilience of local communities, and measures are in place to reduce the risk of human practices. However, diversification of the crops cultivated by farmers is essential to ensure climate resistance and resilience of the ecologic and socio-economic system as a whole in Burkina Faso. More broadly, efforts that promote economic diversification are imperative in the light of a national agenda for sustainable development.

This blog first appeared on the Acclimatise website.