The Association comprising about four groups have over the years employed local and traditional means for the production of the crude palm kernel oil, with its associated health problems to the many women engaged in the sector.

Traditionally, these women groups operated in an open space, under intense heat conditions both from the traditional tripod they used as source of fire and nature’s own heat on day to day basis aside the strenuous and jaw-breaking process of cracking, separation, drying, frying, milling, boiling and extraction of the oil from the kernel.

Hajia Ramatu Halidu, Chairperson of the group and Mrs Baaba Asmah, Executive Director of Daasgift Foundation an NGO focused on supporting women and vulnerable groups, led the team to seek technical advice from Mr Issa Ouadraogo, the Executive Director of B-BOVID, who was already into industrial processing of kernel oil on the type of machinery to purchase for their type of business.

Hajia Halidu said one key component that was missing in their traditional production line was “Filter” which had the potency to change the darkish colour of the traditional palm kernel to golden brown as produced by the B-BOVID company.

The Executive Director said the kernel oil was hugely needed in the ice cream and other industries and so with the standard production measures, the women would be able to make good returns on their investment and alleviate rural poverty especially among women, since there was a ready market for the produce.

Mr Samuel Obo Biney, Mill Manager at BBOVID, who took the team round the Palm Kernel Milling factory, said though their operations were largely industrial, small groupings such as the “Boafo Ye Na” could undertake a visit to manufacturers in Malaysia, Indonesia and Germany where quality and standard equipment for their kind of business could be assembled to suit their specifications.

 He also alluded to the health implications of their traditional mode of operation adding, “When you are young, you may not notice it but in future life lots of health conditions may present itself as a result of the continual exposure to both smoke and heat”.

 Mrs Baaba Asmah said the STMA through the EU economic empowerment programme would be looking to assist the women in that direction to make their operations easier.  She said already the concept notes had been accepted and that the STMA together with the NGO were developing a detailed proposal to include absolute figures of the components at each stage of production.

Mrs Asmah said B-BOVID became the reference for technical advice and inputs on the type and specifications, since it was the only one doing industrial palm kernel production around the two immediate districts: Ahanta West and STMA.

 “We are of the firm believe that these women will be assisted through the EU support to improve their lives and families as well as save them from the health hazards associated with their kind of production,” she added.