The Head of the Horticulture Department of the University for Development Studies, has called on the Government to pay special attention to the sheanut industry to facilitate poverty reduction in the North.
Dr Joshua Adam Yidana, who is also a senior lecturer at the university made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga after he delivered a lecture on:
"Sheanut Cultivation, Possibility or Myth," at a workshop organised by the Netherlands Development Organisation and Fair Trade Foundation, a
non-governmental organisation.
The two day workshop on the theme: "Effects of Climate Change on Shea-Dissemination," attracted stakeholders from civil society organisations and the public and private
sectors from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions.
Dr Yidana stressed that sheanut could better the lot of the people if given the necessary attention by the State since the product is in high demand abroad especially for the
production of beauty products, health food, confectionaries and pharmaceutical products.
Dr Yidana expressed regret that that shea trees which grows naturally are often cut down by people to replace it with other cash crops like cashew.
He asked government to support the sheanut industry in the North through the Northern Rural Growth Project and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority.
Dr Yidana suggested the need for shea processing centres at the community level to encourage more people to cultivate the crop.
He also appealed to companies dealing in sheanuts to support government to bring about the growth of the industry.