In Benin, the shea tree is found across much of the country north of Dassa, particularly within the provinces of Borgou and Atakora, with particularly homogenous stands occurring to the north and west of Parakou.

In 1989, a study of parkland management was conducted north of Parakou by the Forestry Research Unit, Cotonou, and the Centre Technique Forestier Tropical (CTFT) (Agbahungba and Depommier 1989). The study noted that revenues from shea to rural women were “at times more important than those taken in from cotton.” At the time of the study, sheanut was bought for treatment at a factory in Cotounou, and ultimately export, by the Société Nationale pour la Promotion Agricole (SONAPRA) , with support from the Centre d’Action Régionale pour le Développement Rural (CARDER), Borgou.

Historically, the Société Nationale des Industries des Corps Gras (SONICOG) was engaged in production of shea butter for export, but after the liberalisation of exports in 1990, production slowly ground to a halt, leaving the market to women producers. using artisanal methods (Sotomey 2001).

From 1995 to 2000, the Agence Canadienne de Développement International (ACDI/CIDA) supported the Programme Entrepeuneuriat Bénin (PEB) in collaboration with the Chambre d’Agriculture du Bénin (CAB); in 2000, the project implemented Projet Filière Karité, pilot study to support the development of the shea filière in Benin, with a focus on women and primary producers. Canadian bilateral cooperation in Benin continues to support rural women’s income generating activities.

Since 1998, the Chambre d’Agriculture du Bénin has set up 90 women’s producer groups in Parakou, N’dali, Tchaourou and Nikki, totalling 1100 members, engaged in collection and storage of sheanut, and processing. Some groups have been given processing equipment (‘mills’) by the government.

In 2001, UNDP and UNIFEM contracted a study by consultant Marcelle Sotomey, with a focus on reinforcement of the economic capacity of women in the shea sector of Bénin.

Currently the Projet des Restauration des Ressources Forestières, in the region of Bassila, works with four rural women’s producer groups totalling 80 members; their produce is consumed by member households, and is marketed locally.

Cosmetic products and soaps based on shea are currently produced in Cotonou by SOTRACO and BIOCOS. A soap factory at Parakou (BKA) has been established with support from CECI and the Institut Régional de Coopération pour le Développement (IRCOD); soap produced at BKA is sold locally, and is also exported. As of 2001, SOTRACO and BIOCOS each consumed approximately 6 MT of shea butter each, and BKA 9 MT of shea butter per year.

Also in Parakou, the Enterprise Olounyin Inter (EOI) operates as an intermediary between primary and secondary collectors of sheanut and exporters, the largest of which is the Société Knar-Bénin, which exports sheanut primarily to the UK for use as a cocoa-butter equivalent.

The Union des Structures Villageoises de Gestion des Unités d’Aménagement (USVGUA) works directly with women’s producer groups at Tchoukoulé.

The Groupement des Exploitants Agricoles (GEA Benin) is an association of producer groups with more than 12,000 members, of which more than 51% are women. GEA has experience in the collective commercialisation of shea butter, in collaboration with womens groups of northern Benin, and has collaborated in a market study on shea products in Benin.

For more information on shea development in Benin, contact

Benin Discussion Group