Sheanut (Butyrospermum parkii (G.Don) Kotschy) in Northern Ghana: a review
1981
Bakang, J-E.A.
The biology of the shear butter tree, its growth, yield, pests and diseases, harvesting, the inefficient traditional extraction and processing of shea butter, marketing and the industry as a whole are discussed. The Shea nut tree forms part of the savanna vegetation of Northern Ghana, growing wild and has not been cultivated despite its oil producing potential. The tree is in danger of extinction due to unproductive farming practices which include bushfires and mechanical clearing of arable land. This causes low yields of shea butter despite the profitable commercial exploitation potential of the kernels. Little attention however has been directed to solving the numerous problems and domestication of this useful but neglected plant. There is a need for an autonomous centre for Shea nut research and the encouragement of village level co-operative plantations to preserve this ready source of fat and germplasm
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