Shea Network Ghana, OXFAM to hold exhibition for businesses in Shea Value Chain

About 20 businesses in the Shea Value-Chain will on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, take part in an exhibition in Tamale the Northern Regional capital organised to link women entrepreneurs in the shea and cocoa value chain to suppliers of inputs needed by them to launch and grow their enterprises.

The exhibition is to be made possible by the Shea Network Ghana, an organization of shea sector businesses, stakeholders and value chain actors, in collaboration with the Tungteiya Women's Association and OXFAM.

The one-day trade fair, forms part of the implementation of the Gender-Responsive Skills Development Training, one of the pillars under the Women's Economic Advancement for Collective Transformation (WEACT), a five-year project implemented by the Shea Network Ghana and its partners.

The project is supervised by OXFAM and funded by Global Affairs Canada.

This was made known in a statement by the SNG signed by the National Coordinator Iddi Zakaria on Saturday, November 26, 2022, and copied to the media.

According to the statement, the 20 exhibitors are to showcase their products and services to about 30 women entrepreneurs from the Mion District in the Northern region and West Gonja Municipality in the Savanna region.

It noted that the selected businesses to exhibit at the fair, include agro-input dealers, cosmetics, shea butter processing equipment/machines, and service providers in the shea and cocoa value chain, among others.

Over the years, access to dedicated financial services and other inputs needed by women to grow and sustain their businesses has been a challenge to many women entrepreneurs.

Studies revealed that though many women do not have the benefit of formal education, they appreciate and understand key business concepts and practices that positively impact on feasibility/profitability of the business.

Also according to research, access to the market is essential in boosting the growth and sustainability of small businesses, also women entrepreneurs are very much aware of market opportunities within their local communities.

The trade fair

The trade fair, as indicated by the statement, strives to ensure that women utilise the market opportunities within and around their communities. Thus, the Fair seeks to link women to suppliers and buyers in areas related to their business plans and provide financial assistance to allow them to purchase the inputs needed for the launch of their entrepreneurship activities.

It will be honoured by stakeholders from private and government agencies, project implementing partners, the media and the general public.

The Gender Responsive Skills Development Training

The Gender Responsive Skills Development Training, is part of the Women's Economic Advancement for Collective Transformation (WEACT), five 5 project that seeks to empower women financially through initiatives such as women's equality drives and inclusivity, agricultural financial services, and cooperatives. including financial literacy training, cocoa, and shea value chains entrepreneurship, among others.

It also seeks to increase access to innovative and viable gender-responsive business models, and enhance equal access to productive resources for women, including gender-responsive financial products ownership and use.

About the Shea Network Ghana

Shea Network Ghana (SNG) is an organization of shea sector businesses, stakeholders and value chain actors (collectors, buyers, aggregators and brands) formed in 2010 by the Ghana shea private sector and a regulator along with Ghana Cocobod to organize and Co-ordinate the value chain.

It seeks to influence policy and provide solutions to industrywide challenges for the overall growth of the shea sector in a coordinated manner.

The organization provides platforms to share industry experiences and knowledge, facilitate synergy and promote shea usage, develop opportunities for stakeholders and share benefits for all.

With a direct institutional membership of 210 member organizations, key member categories of SNG include international and local facilitating NGOs, large international shea buyers and producer organizations among others. It is the most representative and professional structure for the interest of shea value chain actors in Ghana.