QUALITREE – research based local tree oil production

project summary

Oil products from native trees in West Africa are essential for human diet, medicine and cosmetics, but their potentials are far from fully exploited. QUALITREE aims to reduce poverty by increasing food security and income in Burkina Faso and Mali through sustainable growth and development of local industrial food production and marketing of oil products from native trees. The industrial production will be developed by two private companies, one Danish and one Burkinabé. The production will be research-based. Use of local traditional knowledge, oil composition and data on availability of oil trees in agricultural fields will form the basis for a sustainable and improved oil production adapted to local socioeconomic aspects. QUALITREE will ensure that local women are engaged and profit from the project. The project focuses on value-addition of well-known oils, such as shea butter, and on development of new or less known marketable oil products from native field trees. QUALITREE has a strong capacity building component; five African PhD students, five master students and several young researchers will receive high quality education. In addition, local communities and industrial workers will receive training as well. QUALITREE will benefit local communities through new possibilities for income generation and through a diversification of the food supply, which is important both for food security and nutrition.