The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), Dr Andy Osei Okrah, has led the distribution of farm inputs and logistics to shea pickers, collectors and sector associations across the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Savannah and North East regions.
The intervention, which took place on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) Residency, forms part of efforts by the Authority to strengthen the shea value chain and improve the working conditions of people engaged in the sector.
The initiative follows the official launch of the TCDA Agricultural Inputs Distribution to Tree Crops Farmers Programme at Mampong in the Ashanti Region last month.
The programme is designed to extend practical support to farmers and other actors in the tree crops sector by providing them with essential inputs and logistics to enhance productivity and improve their livelihoods.
Dr Okrah said the latest intervention was particularly significant for women who formed a large proportion of people involved in the collection and transportation of shea nuts.
He explained that many shea collectors travelled long distances and operated under difficult conditions to gather and transport the nuts, making the provision of appropriate logistics necessary to ease their burden and improve efficiency.
He said the TCDA was committed to ensuring that government interventions reached people at the heart of the tree crops industry.
“As an Authority, we are committed to ensuring that support reaches the people at the heart of the tree crops sector,” he said.
According to him, providing the necessary logistics and inputs would not only make the work of shea collectors easier but also contribute to stronger livelihoods in shea-producing communities.
Dr Okrah said strengthening the shea value chain was critical to improving productivity, promoting value addition and creating better economic opportunities for communities that depended on the sector.
He noted that shea had significant potential to contribute to Ghana’s agricultural transformation and generate sustainable incomes for people, particularly women and rural households.
He said the TCDA would continue to identify practical challenges confronting actors within the various tree crops value chains and introduce interventions to address them.
The CEO said the distribution was also consistent with the vision of President John Dramani Mahama under the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda, which places emphasis on increased agricultural productivity, industrialisation and value addition.
He said the Authority would work to ensure that the benefits of government’s agricultural interventions translated into tangible improvements in the lives of farmers, pickers, collectors and other stakeholders.
Dr Okrah urged the beneficiaries to use the items provided for their intended purposes and ensure that they were properly maintained.
He stressed the need for accountability among beneficiaries, saying the sustainability of such interventions depended largely on the responsible use and maintenance of the resources provided.
He further indicated that the TCDA would monitor the intervention to assess its impact and ensure that the logistics and inputs were contributing to improved operations within the shea value chain.
He said the Authority would continue to collaborate with sector associations and other stakeholders to identify challenges and develop interventions that could strengthen the tree crops sector.
The shea industry remains an important source of livelihood for many people in northern Ghana, with women playing a significant role in the collection, processing and marketing of shea nuts and related products.
Dr Okrah said the TCDA’s support was, therefore, intended to help address some of the practical challenges confronting actors in the sector and create an enabling environment for increased production and value addition.
He expressed confidence that sustained support, coupled with proper management of resources and increased investment in the sector, would help unlock the full potential of Ghana’s shea industry.
He assured stakeholders that the TCDA would continue to work with beneficiaries and relevant sector associations to ensure that interventions achieved their intended objectives and contributed meaningfully to the growth and development of the shea industry.
