Shea2026 Beyond Borders Delivers Grounded Conversations on Traceability, Landscape Restoration, and Women’s Empowerment in the Shea Industry

Accra, Ghana – On Day 3 of the Shea2026: Beyond Borders conference, participants engaged in some of the most practical and solution-oriented discussions of the three-day event. Organized by the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), the 18th annual conference brought together stakeholders from across the global shea value chain at the Accra International Conference Centre from April 27 to 29, 2026.

While previous days focused on markets and high-level policy, Day 3 shifted to the foundations of the industry: how to trace shea from tree to shelf, restore the vital parklands that sustain production, and ensure the women who form the backbone of shea processing receive fair recognition and rewards for their labor.

“Sustainability isn’t a destination: it’s the journey,” became a recurring theme as experts, practitioners, and advocates shared real-world experiences and innovative tools for building a more responsible and resilient shea sector.

Tracing Shea from Tree to Shelf: The Push for Robust Traceability Systems

One of the central themes on Day 3 centered on full supply chain transparency. In an era where global buyers and consumers demand proof of ethical sourcing, traceability has moved from a nice-to-have to a business imperative.

Sessions explored digital tools, blockchain applications, and community-based monitoring systems that can track shea nuts from collection points in West African parklands through processing, export, and final shelf placement in cosmetics, chocolate, and food products worldwide.

Experts highlighted how effective traceability not only builds consumer trust but also opens premium markets for certified shea while reducing risks of deforestation-linked supply. Speakers, including industry professionals, shared case studies demonstrating how better data flows can improve pricing transparency for rural collectors and processors.

Landscape Restoration: Protecting Shea Parklands for Future Generations

Shea trees (Vitellaria paradoxa) are more than just a cash crop; they define entire ecosystems across the shea belt in West Africa. Day 3 sessions examined the urgent need for landscape-level restoration amid pressures from agriculture expansion, fuelwood harvesting, and climate change.

Participants discussed integrated approaches that combine reforestation, sustainable farming practices, and community governance. Restoring shea parklands supports biodiversity, improves soil health, enhances carbon sequestration, and safeguards rural livelihoods simultaneously.

Practical journeys from the field illustrated successful models where local cooperatives work alongside NGOs and government agencies to protect and regenerate shea-dominated landscapes. These efforts are increasingly linked to international climate finance mechanisms, positioning the shea sector as a key player in Africa’s restoration ambitions.

Women in Shea: From Invisible Backbone to Recognized Leaders

No discussion on responsible shea would be complete without centering the millions of women who collect, process, and trade shea nuts and butter. Day 3 placed strong emphasis on making their contributions visible and economically rewarding.

A major highlight was the application of the W+ Standard – the first women-centered tool designed to measure and quantify empowerment outcomes in a transparent, verifiable way. Developed by WOCAN, the W+ Standard tracks improvements in areas such as knowledge and education, income and assets, and leadership.

In Ghana’s shea-growing regions, projects like the Global Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP) have adopted the W+ Standard to measure real impacts on women’s lives. This allows benefits such as carbon credits or premium payments to flow directly to female beneficiaries based on measurable empowerment results.

Speakers shared on-the-ground stories of women’s cooperatives adopting improved processing technologies, gaining access to finance, and participating in decision-making processes that were traditionally male-dominated. Financial resilience training programs and clean water initiatives were also showcased as critical enablers for women processors.

Key Voices Shaping the Conversation

Day 3 featured insightful contributions from a diverse lineup of experts and leaders, including:

Wisdom Doe

Marie Veyrier

Arnaud Viassého AYEDEHIN

Mohammed Kontagora

Peter Lovett

Yosola Onanuga

Iddi Zakaria

Ricky McWhorter

Tuina Lombo Francis

Elizabeth Olanrewaju Nwankwo

Aaron Adu

Their combined expertise spanned research, industry practice, policy, and community implementation, enriching the dialogue with both global perspectives and local realities.

Why These Discussions Matter for the Global Shea Industry

The shea sector supports an estimated 16 million women across 21 African countries and generates significant export revenue, particularly for Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana, and Nigeria. However, challenges such as low productivity, climate vulnerability, inconsistent quality, and limited value addition persist.

The grounded conversations on Day 3 painted a comprehensive picture of a responsible shea industry: one that integrates traceability for market access, landscape restoration for environmental sustainability, and women’s empowerment for social equity.

Stakeholders left with clear calls to action – invest in scalable traceability technologies, scale up successful restoration models, fully implement tools like the W+ Standard, and build stronger partnerships that bridge producers and end markets.

Broader Context: Shea2026 Beyond Borders

The 2026 conference, themed “Beyond Borders,” emphasized cross-border collaboration, policy alignment, and innovation to unlock greater value from the shea value chain. With Ghana hosting and strong government backing, the event reinforced West Africa’s position as the heart of global shea production while encouraging investment in local processing and industrialization.

As the conference concluded, participants committed to turning dialogue into tangible outcomes. Whether through new traceability pilots, expanded restoration projects, or wider adoption of gender-focused standards, the momentum from Day 3 is expected to influence strategies across the industry in the coming years.

Looking Ahead: A Sustainable Journey for Shea

The shea industry stands at a crossroads. Demand continues to grow in food, cosmetics, and personal care sectors, but long-term success depends on healthy ecosystems and empowered communities.

As one participant summarized, sustainability is not a static goal to be checked off but an ongoing journey of adaptation, inclusion, and innovation. The rich discussions on Day 3 of Shea2026 provided both the map and the motivation for that journey.

The Global Shea Alliance and its partners have set a high bar for future gatherings.