GSA Signs Agreement with AfDB’s ACCF to leverage over USD 1.3 million to Promote Climate Resilience in Togo and Burkina Faso
The Global Shea Alliance (GSA) has signed an agreement worth USD 996,700 with the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Africa Climate Change Fund to deliver a 2 year project entitled “Towards Climate Resilient Shea Communities in Togo and Burkina Faso”. GSA brings an additional USD 400,000 in co-financing to the project.
Rita Effah, ACCF Coordinator, AfDB said, “Shea is a global food and cosmetic commodity that provides livelihoods to African communities. It is important to protect its supply chain by strengthening the climate resilience and economically empowering smallholder farmers, particularly women shea collectors and processors. This project in Togo and Burkina Faso will enhance the resilience of communities and help address the root causes of gender inequality and the impacts of climate change in the project area. Addressing gender inequalities is at the core of tackling climate change in Africa.”
This project will reduce the climate vulnerability of 7,500 women shea collectors and their communities (30,000+ people) in Togo and Burkina Faso by increasing income generated from activities like shea and apiculture and improving community-led parkland management practices.
“Climate plays an important role in the lives of women in rural areas as it significantly affects the most important source of employment to them, agriculture,” said Simballa Sylla, President of the GSA. “While the GSA has done a lot to mitigate these issues and diversify the sources of income for women in shea, we are pleased to gain more support through this project and work with the African Development Bank Group to deliver tailored gender-transformative solutions for climate resilience.”
The goal is to empower local communities to gain the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to achieve sustainable shea production and access other livelihood opportunities through climate-friendly processing practices. To achieve this goal, capacity building and equipment will be provided to strengthen the business acumen of women shea collectors and enhance their communities’ capacity to restore and maintain shea parklands in Burkina Faso and Togo.
About the African Development Bank Group
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF), and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information, visit www.afdb.org
About GSA
The Global Shea Alliance is a non-profit industry association with 663 members from 38 countries, including women’s cooperative groups, brands and retailers, suppliers, and NGOs. Through PPPs, the GSA promotes industry sustainability, quality practices and standards, and demand for shea in food and cosmetics. For more information, please visit http://www.globalshea.com/
GSA Contact Nestor Dehouindji ndehouindji@globalshea.com