The shea tree grows in dry savanna regions of West, Central, and East Africa. These valuable trees produce a useful plum-like fruit called the shea fruit.
The shea fruit is an important food in many parts of Africa, including in northern Uganda. A mature shea tree produces 15-20 kilograms (33-44 pounds) of the green, egg-shaped fruit. The fruit can be eaten raw.
The large brown seeds found in the fruit are called shea nuts. Shea nuts can be transformed into a paste-like product called shea butter. Shea butter is used in cosmetics and soaps. It can also be used as a cooking oil.
Agroforestry is the use of trees and shrubs in farming systems. Farmers across Africa have practiced agroforestry with shea trees for centuries.
Shea parklands are agricultural landscapes created by farmers. Farmers create and carefully protect and prune shea trees in their fields.
In northern Uganda, many of the shea parklands have been degraded or destroyed by war.
In the Pader district of Northern Uganda, a group of women decided they needed to maintain the important shea trees in their areas. The shea trees, fruit, and seeds are an important part of their economy and diets. The women formed a cooperative called the Pader Shea Nut and Agro-processing Society. A cooperative is a group working together toward a common goal. The group started in 2004 with six members and now has 1400 members.
The cooperative keeps a nursery of shea seedlings grown from seeds collected across the Pader district. Hundreds of shea seedlings stand in neat, carefully tended rows under thatched shelters. The shelters protect the seedlings from the harsh sun.
The cooperative has restored more than 500 hectares (1,240 acres) of degraded land by planting shea and other native tree species.
Maureen Otika Lanyero, a member of the collective explains how their work helps their community: “Our cooperative is unique because our project is for people, whereby even the young ones are people, the old ones are people, even the disabled people are also people where we don’t say this is for young ones, this is for old people. We join our hands together to fight poverty.”
These women are attempting to restore more than just shea trees. They are working to rebuild a sustainable future for their community.
David Brown adapted this story for Mongabay Kids. It is based on an article by Sam Schramski and Pat Larubi published on Mongabay News:
