By Edward Dankwah
Accra, Feb. 10, GNA – AAK Ghana Limited, producer and buyer of shea products, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to drive value addition, enhance competitiveness, and promote sustainable growth within Ghana’s shea industry.
The agreement formalises collaboration between the Government and AAK—one of the world’s largest producers and buyers of shea products—to scale up local processing capacity, strengthen the participation of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), and improve Ghana’s position in the global shea market.
A statement issued in Accra said the MoU was signed by Mr Eric Opoku, Minister for Food and Agriculture, and Mr Lasse Skaksen, Vice President and Head of AAK West Africa.
The ceremony was witnessed by Mr Jakob Linulf, Ambassador of Denmark to Ghana, highlighting the strategic relevance of the partnership to Ghana’s agribusiness and industrial transformation agenda.
The statement said the partnership places emphasis on inclusive growth across the shea value chain, focusing particularly on women collectors, youth employment, and sustainable sourcing practices.
AAK, which has been operating in Ghana since 1958, reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country and confidence in Ghana’s potential to become a regional hub for value-added shea processing.
This commitment is further demonstrated by the recent FairWild certification of AAK’s Kolo Nafaso programme—the first ever for shea—setting a new benchmark for ethical sourcing and delivering impact to more than 230,000 women collectors across the region.
Mr Skaksen said Ghana had the potential to become a global reference point for value-added shea processing, adding that AAK would remain a long-term partner in supporting this ambition.
He said the partnership underscored the company’s commitment to investing in local capacity, sustainable sourcing, and broader economic inclusion.
Under the MoU, AAK plans to expand its Kolo Nafaso direct sourcing programme, which currently supports over 230,000 women shea collectors through access to finance, capacity-building, and guaranteed markets.
Over the next few years, the programme is expected to add approximately 70,000 more women, primarily in northern Ghana, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to more than 300,000.
This expansion will include additional investment in logistics, warehousing, and supply chain improvement.
AAK also announced plans to promote skills development and local value addition through the proposed establishment of the AAK Ghana Innovation Academy.
The Academy will focus on strengthening SME viability, enhancing youth employability, and building technical expertise within the shea and broader plant-based oils and fats sector.
The company further expressed its intention to invest in local shea processing facilities in Ghana, using world-class technology to increase value addition, create more than 100 jobs, and improve export competitiveness.
Additionally, AAK committed to supporting shea reforestation and parkland preservation efforts in partnership with the Tree Crops Development Authority and other stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainability of the industry.
Mr Opoku said the MoU aligned strongly with government priorities, including the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA) and the Feed Ghana Programme—particularly the Feed the Industry sub-programme.
He said the Ministry would continue to create an enabling environment to facilitate such investments and support the success of AAK’s initiatives.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah