The policy officer for Ghana Trade and livelihood Coalition (GTLC), Mr. Emmanuel Willingdool has said, having work in the Shea sector for several year now, there are a lot of challenges confronting the sector, adding that, one surest way to tackle these challenges start with the Shea nut picker technology, noting that, the starting point of these challenges is the picking, and in trying to fine the solution to these challenges “Is what we have here the Shea picker technology” he stressed.
The policy officer further indicated that, in the mix of scorpions, snake bites and waist pains, the Shea picker comes handy to curb these dangers farmers go through in Shea picking. The technology he says, is easy to use, easy to carry, easy to maintain and easy to fix. He added that, the Shea nut picker collects three times more kilograms of nut per given time and also increase total revenue per collector, saves time and minimize direct contact with weeds.
Mr. Emmanual tells Radio Waa news that, If the Shea is properly or well picked, then it provides quality row materials for the rest of the processes, stressing that,we have to look at it with a value chain approach, from the pint of picking, process packing and marketing. The Shea picker with all these challenges is the least beneficiary in the value chain, he said. If the consumer would have quality, then it starts with picking and in Ghana about 7000tones of nuts are not being picked, hence goes to waste in the bush.
Meanwhile, Mr. Salifu Kunateh advocated to women who are on the Village Savings and loans Association (VSLA) platform to seize the opportunity to buy on hire purchase, through the VSLA since most of them are Shea pickers and processors. This revelation was made on Wednesday night in the studios of Radio Waa 92.1FM.
However, the shea picker technology is an initiative by SNV Netherlands Development Organization under its Shea butter community commerce project, funded by Sundial Brands through, the Sofi Tucker Foundation to help reduce the stress associated with harvesting nuts.
