Local Preferences for Shea Nut and Butter Production in Northern Benin: Preliminary Results

Abstract

Shea products in Benin (West Africa) are produced in a low-developed agroindustry, but they are estimated to be the country’s third largest export. The nut harvesting and quality guaranteeing in the butter process can only be achieved through improvements in the value chain, thus making it more attractive for stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to provide keys to a better product valorization, obtain a significant increase in household incomes based on shea butter marketing opportunities, and offer competitive products at the local and regional markets. Different markets were designed to catch processors and consumers’ preferences for two improved shea products: butter and nuts in Northern Benin. An open-ended contingent valuation (CV) was applied, and the willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept (WTA) were estimated by using a typical ordinary least squares (OLS) modelling approach. On local markets in Benin, the color, length, and weight of the nuts, as well as the color, smell, and texture of shea butter significantly influence, respectively, the processors’ willingness to accept and the consumers’ willingness to pay for a specific quality level. An increase in price would ensure the quality of the shea butter and would be covered by the premium to be paid by consumers. Certification design and the development of shea resources management and conservation programs should include ethnic preferences and consider gender, to avoid reducing women’s profits in the shea butter local market.

Morphotype Classification Criteria and Influence of Sociocultural Factors on Perceived Shea Tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn) Natural Variation across Parklands in Benin

“…Gender influence could be perceived in the processing of shea nuts where men were not involved. Along the same lines, Agúndez et al [ 31 ] suggested that the development of shea resource management and conservation programs should include ethnic preferences and consider gender, to avoid reducing women’s profits in the shea butter local market.…”

“…Gnanglè [ 30 ] reported that shea is an economically, socially, and culturally important tree for northern and central Benin. In addition, Agundez et al [ 31 ] have recently studied local preferences for shea nut and butter production in Northern Benin. These authors found that the willingness to pay for a specific quality of nuts/butter depends on a number of their physical attributes.…”

Morphotype Classification Criteria, Nomenclature of Shea Varieties [Vitellaria Paradoxa (C.F. Gaertn)], And Influence of Sociocultural Factors on Perceived Shea Natural Variation Across Parklands in Benin

“…Gender in uence could be perceived in processing of shea nuts where men were not involved. Along the same lines, Agúndez et al, [31] suggested that the development of shea resources management and conservation programs should include ethnic preferences and consider gender, to avoid reducing women's pro ts in the shea butter local market.…”

“…In addition. Agundez et al [31] have recently studied local preferences for shea nut and butter production in Northern Benin. To date, no study have been undertaken to assess local knowledge on shea morphotypes traits and how they can be used in shea cultivars development.…”

Forest, Foods, and Nutrition

“…Vlad et al [25] studied and promoted blackberry as a traditional nutraceutical food resource from an area with high anthropogenic impact. Agúndez et al [26] studied local preferences for production of shea nut and butter in Northern Benin. Darr et al [27] mapped the diversity of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) products in Malawi by studying the preferences of consumers and examining the major attributes on their market price.…”