• Togo shea stakeholders meet in Kara to address sustainability challenges
• Over 150 participants discuss value chain organization and market competitiveness
• Talks aim to create shea council, boost processing, support rural women

Stakeholders in Togo's shea industry gathered in Kara on Thursday, March 12, to discuss development and sustainability prospects for the sector.

The meeting, held under the theme “The Shea Sector Facing Sustainability Challenges: Stocktaking and Prospects,” is part of broader efforts to better organize the industry and pave the way for the creation of the Conseil interprofessionnel de la filière karité du Togo (CIFKAT), the country's shea interprofessional council.

More than 150 participants attended the event, including producers, processors and exporters, along with representatives from government departments responsible for agriculture, the environment and trade, as well as financial partners.

Participants discussed the economic, social and environmental challenges facing the shea sector. Talks focused on sustainable management of shea parklands, improving nut quality, strengthening local processing and increasing value from processed shea products.

Discussions also addressed the organization of cooperatives, women's entrepreneurship and market access. The aim is to better structure the value chain and strengthen the sector's competitiveness in regional and international markets.

According to the organizers, the meeting also laid the groundwork for initiatives to support assisted natural regeneration of shea parklands and help the sector adapt to climate change, as preserving this natural resource becomes increasingly critical.

At the global level, Togo ranks as the world's seventh-largest shea producer, with annual output estimated between 35,000 and 50,000 metric tons of nuts. Sector stakeholders said the current initiatives could help unlock that potential and increase the industry's economic returns.

Elisabeth Essodolom Pali-Tchalla said shea represents a major source of income for thousands of rural women and plays an important role in local development. She noted, however, that despite its economic potential, the sector still faces several challenges.

She called on stakeholders to define new strategies to promote and develop the industry, with the aim of making shea a more structured sector and a genuine driver of sustainable development in the Togolese economy.

Esaïe Edoh, with Togo First