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AAK Ghana Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to promote value addition, competitiveness and sustainable growth within Ghana’s shea industry.
The agreement was signed in Accra by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, and Mr Lasse Skaksen, Vice President and Head of AAK West Africa. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Denmark’s Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Jakob Linulf, highlighting the strategic importance of the partnership to Ghana’s agribusiness and industrialisation agenda.
The MoU formalises collaboration between the Government of Ghana and AAK—one of the world’s leading producers and buyers of shea products—to expand local processing capacity, strengthen the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises, and enhance Ghana’s competitiveness in global shea markets. The partnership places strong emphasis on inclusive growth, particularly for women shea collectors, youth employment and sustainable sourcing practices.
AAK, which has operated in Ghana since 1958, reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country and expressed confidence in Ghana’s potential to become a regional hub for value-added shea processing. This commitment is underscored by the FairWild certification of AAK’s Kolo Nafaso programme—the first of its kind in the shea sector—setting a new benchmark for ethical sourcing.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Skaksen said the partnership reflects AAK’s intention to invest in local capacity, sustainable supply chains and inclusive economic growth, while positioning Ghana as a global reference point for value-added shea products.
Under the MoU, AAK outlined four key priority areas. These include expanding the Kolo Nafaso sustainable sourcing programme, which currently supports more than 230,000 women shea collectors, with plans to reach over 300,000 women in the coming years, particularly in northern Ghana. The expansion will be supported by additional investments in logistics, warehousing and supply chain infrastructure.
The company also plans to establish an AAK Ghana Innovation Academy to support skills development, SME growth and youth employability within the shea and plant-based oils sector. In addition, AAK intends to invest in local shea processing using advanced technology, creating over 100 jobs and increasing Ghana’s export competitiveness.
AAK further committed to supporting shea reforestation and parkland conservation initiatives in collaboration with the Tree Crops Development Authority and other partners to ensure long-term sector sustainability.
MoFA noted that the MoU aligns with key government programmes, including the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA), the Feed Ghana Programme and national efforts to strengthen agro-processing, tree crop development and export-led growth. The Ministry pledged to provide an enabling business environment to support the successful implementation of the partnership.
The ceremony was attended by senior government officials and stakeholders, including Deputy Minister John Dumelo, MoFA Chief Director Paul Siameh, Tree Crops Development Authority CEO Dr Andy Osei Okrah, and representatives of the Danish Embassy.
The agreement marks a shared commitment by AAK and the Government of Ghana to transition the shea sector from a largely raw commodity-based industry into a competitive, value-driven pillar of the national economy.
Source: citinews
