07 Jul 2022

The delectable ingredient, chocolate, is celebrated on July 7th as World Chocolate Day. Most of the world celebrates by indulging in the confectionary, others contribute to ensuring a sustainable supply of shea butter, which is increasingly used in the production of chocolate. 

Shea butter is made from the nuts of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), which grows in the Sahel-Savannah region of Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia. The shea tree is indigenous to this region and the harvesting can be said to be semi-domesticated. Though the trees grow in the wild, they are maintained and managed by the women who harvest their nuts. 

A journal article on the evolution of shea butter explains that: “This commodity is now attractive for markets across Europe, America and Asia, and is sourced from women in West, Central and East African countries who have traditionally collected, processed and used shea butter for many centuries, probably for millennia.” Today more than four million West African women are involved in the shea butter supply chain. 

An example an initiative to empower the women in the shea butter industry is the AKA Kolo Nafaso supply chain women’s group. AKA is a Swedish producer of vegetable oils and fats. Kolo Nafaso “focuses on poverty alleviation and women empowerment through direct trade, interest-free micro credits, and training of shea-collecting women in West Africa.” The initative demonstrates the power of the wildlife economy to conserve indigenous biodiversity, improve livelihoods, and enhance community well-being.

Today when you have a bite of chocolate or sip a hot chocolate drink check to see if one of the ingredients is shea butter. You’ll then know that you are also enjoying a wild product from Africa. Further, check to see if there is evidence that harvesting of the shea is responsible – protecting the natural environment and empowering the local women who have contribute to your chocolate treat. If it is, even better.

Happy World Chocolate Day!

Savanna Strauss, AWEI Intern