The contribution of shea to livelihood diversification and wellbeing in Uganda

project summary

<p><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> <p>Natural beauty products are experiencing an increasing global demand from ethic<br /> and environmentally conscious consumers, with high growth rates attached.<br /> 99.8% of the global shea trade origins in West Africa, but due to the improving<br /> security situation in northern Uganda after 20 years of conflict, a new market is<br /> emerging with natural high-quality butter from the East African nilotica shea tree.<br /> The majority of shea from West Africa are used as refined cocoa butter equivalent<br /> sold at a low price. Due to different chemical properties, the nilotica shea butter is<br /> better suited for natural cosmetics, where end-consumers demands high quality,<br /> unrefined shea butter, and they are willing to pay a premium price. However, the<br /> shea nuts collected by local women are currently fully utilised and traded at local<br /> markets in northern Uganda. Shea's locale role as a Non-Timber Forest Product<br /> provides the local communities with crucial income, both in the form of cash and<br /> as a source of nutrition for their largely subsistence-based livelihoods. This thesis<br /> discusses future projections on impacts of the increased global commercialisation<br /> of nilotica shea, based on the current role of shea, as well as outcomes of NTFPs<br /> commercialisation in different contexts. Investigated indicators of impacts are<br /> livelihood strategies, gender relations and wellbeing within a sustainable<br /> livelihood approach framework. Most research on shea has been done in West<br /> Africa, and gaps in the literature covering these aspects in Uganda exist. This<br /> research is based on a case study conducted in four districts in northern Uganda,<br /> where a mixed methods approach using qualitative and quantitative methods<br /> were applied through 16 focus groups, 419 questionnaire survey submissions and<br /> 10 interviews. The outcome of an increased commercialisation depends on a set<br /> of factors, including level of inclusiveness in the shea value chain for the local<br /> collectors, quality improvements, and protection of the shea tree resource.<br /> Increased commercialisation of shea in northern Uganda will most likely not<br /> work as a direct poverty alleviation strategy, but can contribute to a<br /> diversification of livelihoods and an increase in the local communities' wellbeing.</p>