Farmerline, in partnership with the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) and New Markets Lab (NML), has launched the Shea Tree Mapping Project to enhance land and tree rights for women in West Africa.
This initiative, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) through the Land Facility programme, will run from September 2025 to March 2026, covering Ghana, Togo, and Benin.
The project aims to digitally map shea trees across parklands, linking tree tenure data to women who harvest them. It will also conduct a legal and regulatory gap analysis, proposing frameworks that better recognise women’s land and tree rights. In addition, national workshops and a regional roundtable with ECOWAS will be held to align strategies for widespread implementation.
One of the project’s key outcomes will be the creation of an open-access Shea Tree Tenure Dashboard. This tool will provide policymakers, supply chain actors, and advocates with data-driven insights to strengthen decision-making and foster sustainable trade.
With shea supporting the livelihoods of 16 million women in 21 West African countries, securing their land and tree rights is vital for both economic resilience and climate adaptation. Aaron Adu, Managing Director of GSA, highlights that securing women's tenure rights is essential for the longevity of the shea industry, ensuring that women can continue to thrive in this critical sector.
Jeremy Swainson, Project Director at Tetra Tech, adds that this initiative will also contribute to climate-smart trade, creating a pathway for greater climate resilience in West Africa.
Empowering women and securing shea tree rights in West Africa
The project aims to digitally map shea trees across parklands, linking tree tenure data to women who harvest them.
