| West Africa uniting shea industry |
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The second annual GlobalShea conference in Bamako, Mali, in March drew 400 people from 22 countries working at all levels of the shea value chain, putting rural women who process the nut-based oil at the same table with international companies that produce specialty fats for the world’s largest confectionary makers and high-end natural cosmetics. Hosted by the West Africa Trade Hub and co-sponsored by two dozen other organizations and companies (Maersk and The Body Shop among them), the conference included trainings on packaging and finance, a B2B matchmaking session, demonstrations on lotion-making and tree-grafting, and speeches by Mali's prime minister and the US Ambassador. To build on the conference's momentum, stakeholders discussed developing an Africa Shea brand and forming an industry alliance to promote the industry globally and help the industry tackle its most pressing issues, like quality standards. Read more about the conference and watch a video clip. Published April 2010 Share through your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
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West Africa hosts shea industry players