The signing was witnessed by H.E. Jakob Linulf, Ambassador of Denmark to Ghana, underscoring the strategic importance of the partnership to Ghana’s agribusiness and industrial development agenda.

The agreement formalises collaboration between the Government of Ghana and AAK, one of the world’s largest producers and buyers of shea products, to enhance local processing capacity, strengthen participation of small and medium-scale enterprises and improve Ghana’s competitiveness in global shea markets. Emphasis will be placed on inclusive growth across the shea value chain, with a focus on women collectors, youth employment, and sustainable sourcing practices.

AAK, which has maintained operations in Ghana since 1958, reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country and its confidence in Ghana’s potential to serve as a regional hub for value-added shea processing. This is further demonstrated by the recent FairWild certification of AAK’s Kolo Nafaso program, the first ever for shea, transforming ethical sourcing in the shea sector and setting a new industry benchmark, while assuring the impact of empowering the families of more than 230,000 women collectors across the region.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Lasse Skaksen said: “Ghana has the potential to become a global reference point for value-added shea processing, and AAK intends to be a long-term partner in making that happen. This partnership reflects our confidence in Ghana’s shea sector and our commitment to investing in local capacity, sustainable sourcing, and inclusive economic growth.”

Under the MoU, AAK outlined four key priorities to support the development of Ghana’s shea industry. These include, firstly, the expansion of Kolo Nafaso, AAK’s sustainable direct sourcing programme, which currently supports over 230,000 women shea collectors through access to financing, capacity development, and guaranteed markets. Over the coming years, the programme is planned to expand by approximately 70,000 additional women, focused in northern Ghana, bringing the total number of supported women to beyond 300,000. This planned expansion will also include further investment in logistics, warehousing and supply chain.

Secondly, AAK also announced plans to drive skills development and support local value addition through the proposed establishment of the AAK Ghana Innovation Academy, aimed at strengthening SME viability, enhancing youth employability, and building technical expertise within the shea and broader plant-based oils and fats sector.

As its third priority, the company has expressed its intention to invest in local shea processing in Ghana, leveraging world class technology to increase local value addition, create over 100+ jobs, and boost export competitiveness.

Lastly, AAK further committed to supporting shea reforestation and parkland preservation initiatives in partnership with the Tree Crops Development Authority and other stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture noted that the MoU aligns strongly with government’s strategic priorities, including the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA), the Feed Ghana Programme, through the Feed the Industry sub-programme, and national efforts to strengthen agro-processing, tree crop development, and export-led growth. The Ministry also expressed its commitment to support AAK’s priorities by creating an enabling business environment, to secure success of these investments.

The signing ceremony was attended by senior government officials and key stakeholders, including Hon. John Dumelo, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture; Mr. Paul Siameh, Chief Director of MoFA; Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority; and representatives of the Danish Embassy in Ghana.

With this memorandum of understanding, AAK and the Government of Ghana reaffirm their shared commitment to transitioning the shea sector from a largely raw commodity-based industry into a competitive, value-driven pillar of Ghana’s agricultural and industrial economy.