Telling the trade stories of least developed countries

In Africa, the unique experience of each of the 16 million rural women who make a living from shea inspires us more and more every day. Shea is an important crop, both economically and socially. It employs 4 million women for export and generates USD 237 million a year in income at the community level in West Africa. At the household level, shea accounts for up to 12% of household income and up to 32% of cash available, which is earned during the lean season.

Located on the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea on Africa’s west coast, the Togolese Republic is bordered by Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso. Togo is home to some 9 million inhabitants and boasts a diverse climate and vast arable lands that hold great potential for agricultural production. The agriculture sector employs most of Togo’s workforce in the production of food crops such as cereals, tubers, and soybeans. Cash crops such as coffee, cocoa, and cotton are also important economic drivers, accounting for 20% of Togo’s export earnings. EIF support to Togo began in 2008. Much has been achieved in the intervening years, particularly with regard to regional integration and the development of the cashew, shea, and soybean sectors both in the country and more broadly in the region.

How strategic funding can help to ensure a global beauty industry creates local profit