Le beurre de karité au Burkina Faso : Entre marché domestique et filiè res d'exportation

Abstract

Shea butter is one of various products that fills a niche in both the domestic and export market and for which a new international demand is emerging. The product is the result of a collection activity and a long, labour-intensive processing operation conducted by rural women in the Sudan-Sahel zone. The product is now highly valued in the cosmetics, biotechnology and agri-food sectors. The international demand essentially involves nuts and butter, for which a new demand is emerging from small cosmetics companies in developed countries. It has a link to fair trade. Women's groups are the main stakeholders in shea butter processing. They are responding to this international demand, the volume of which remains limited to 10 percent of the local market. Competition among the groups for the international markets is fierce. Under what conditions can a "win-win"articulation be developed between the African industry stakeholders and those in developed countries? Women's groups seem to benefit from these exchanges. International trade in this product enables women's groups to gradually increase their bargaining power with international buyers while enhancing the logistics enabling them to guarantee the production quality and volume requirements in timeframes set by the customer. Still, there should be real pressure from consumers to ensure that the word "fair"is precisely defined, that it actually enables greater value for the grassroots labour input and that such can be duly confirmed. The limited volume opportunities and cut-throat competition among the groups must not be allowed to hamper local structuring of the commodity chain. These conclusions require a support mechanism for the women's groups so that the industry can be better controlled: processing, negotiation, products, quality, both for the export and local markets and those of the sub-region which are more accessible and less risky.