Queenmother Leads Shea Conservation Drive Across 11 Ghanaian Districts

Pognaa Salma Chaana Abdul-Razak, the Paramount Queenmother of the Sing Traditional Area and Ambassador for the Shea Park Resource Hub Project, has concluded an extensive tour aimed at bolstering shea conservation and empowering women in Ghana's Upper West Region. The five-day sensitisation and stakeholder engagement tour, from May 17 to May 21, 2026, covered all 11 districts of the region.

Executed by Green Gold Savannah, the project's implementing partner, the tour sought to build grassroots support for the Shea Park Resource Hub Project. Key objectives included educating communities on the vital importance of protecting shea trees and other valuable plant species. The initiative also aimed to encourage the enforcement of local bylaws against indiscriminate tree felling, particularly for charcoal production, a major driver of shea tree destruction.

During the tour, the delegation visited 17 communities and engaged directly with over 2,000 women shea pickers, traditional authorities, and opinion leaders. Community dialogues provided a platform for women to discuss practical alternatives to charcoal production. While reaffirming their commitment to preserving the shea ecosystem, the women stressed the need for viable economic opportunities to support sustainable environmental conservation.

Among the proposed interventions were the construction of small irrigation dams for year-round farming, vocational training in soap making, weaving, and hairdressing, and the provision of modern shea butter processing equipment. Participants also requested tricycles for transporting shea nuts, personal protective equipment, and improved access to markets for processed shea butter. Affordable financing through low-interest loans was also highlighted as crucial for business expansion and reducing reliance on environmentally damaging activities.

Project coordinators hailed the regional engagement as a significant milestone in fostering community ownership and strengthening collaboration among traditional authorities, local communities, and development partners. Traditional leaders and women's groups expressed gratitude for the support of the Ghanaian Parliament and the President in establishing the Shea Park Resource Hub Project, recognizing its potential for sustainable economic development and the protection of northern Ghana's natural resources.