The production of shea butter is a $2.7 billion industry and the women of Ghana are its engine. Over 470,000 women in northern Ghana contribute to shea butter production. It offers them a path out of poverty, but the benefits are undermined by climate change, deforestation, and other challenges.

This independent study through the Dow Fellows program examines how cooperatives, non-profits, social enterprises, and traditional for-profit businesses might better support women shea farmers in Ghana. The report concludes with four key recommendations: 1) Prioritize women’s inclusion in shea projects. 2) Increase awareness and adoption of the social enterprise entity. 3) Foster collaborative efforts among cooperatives, non-profits, and for-profits, foreign and local. 4) Improve transparency about these entities’ roles and interests.