Health Risks Associated With Shea Butter Production
By Michael Adu
Shea Butter is a natural fat extract taken
from the nut of the Shea tree, which is found only in the arid Savannah regions
of Africa. It has been hand-crafted and used for centuries by Africans as
cooking oil, a therapeutic skin balm, as well as an intensive moisturiser.
According to the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) Ghana, More than 60,0000 women in Northern Ghana depend on the
incomes from the sales of Shea butter and other Shea-related products as a
means of their daily subsistence. Shea butter production has been a key income
source for rural women over the years and has resulted in improving the living
standards of these women.
The Government of Ghana and stakeholders in
the Shea butter industry, over the years, has been putting policies and
measures in place to improve the quality of Shea butter produced in Ghana
because it has the potential of evolving into a viable export industry since
private businesses in several countries have been expressing their interest in
importing Shea butter. In doing so, the risks and health issues associated with
Shea butter production have been ignored.
Health and Safety are vital issues when it
comes to Shea butter production but there are no proper health and safety measures, protocols and
contingency plans put in place to address and minimise the risks associated
with Shea butter processing. Research has shown that, most people in Ghana who
produce Shea butter use traditional techniques and skills from the
collection of nuts to the optimal packaging of the butter. They use the
traditional method of production through all processing stages. These people
have limited knowledge about the risks and health issues they are prone to. Most them suffer from snakebites and scorpion
stings, muscular and skeletal injuries, heat stroke, burns, tuberculosis, and asthma etc.
I never understood this issue until I
worked on a team of 10 International service volunteers at PAGSUNG, women’s
group, who are into Shea butter processing in Sangarigu Tamale, Ghana. The zeal
and willingness to earn a daily bread has left these women (most of them mothers)
prone to many health issues including excessive smoke inhalation from the traditional
cookstoves they use, illness and the meager income earned from the sales of the
butter is spent at the hospital, a concern the Chief of Sangarigu shared with us
when we visited him in his palace.
In tackling this issue, the Ghana Health
service and major players in the shea industry should include health and safety
of Shea butter production in policy formulation. Also, research work should be
commissioned by the Government of Ghana in partnership with state owned
universities to identify alternative and affordable sources of fuel for
production of Shea butter. Furthermore, Training and sensitisation should be
prioritised to create awareness on most of the health implications of Shea
butter processing. Lastly, all who can should help improve the infrastructure
and facilities of the local women groups in Ghana who are into Shea butter
production to raise the quality of produce.
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