Renegotiating Access to Shea Trees in Burkina Faso: Challenging Power Relationships Associated with Demographic Shifts and Globalized Trade

Abstract

This paper uses an original integrated theoretical framework to reveal the mechanisms behind socio-economic differentiation in the changing patterns of access to shea in western Burkina Faso, in the context of globalization of the shea nut trade and internal migrations from both the Mossi Plateau and the Sahelian zone. Based on more than 200 interviews, we unravel the complex dynamic mechanisms of changes in access to shea. We show that negotiations result in reduced access to shea for late comers as well as for people with a limited number of shea trees in their fields, since areas where shea is managed as a common-pool resource are becoming less accessible. However, we also demonstrate that late comers are not powerless in the face of first comers' claims to shea. Our results should help policy-makers and project-based activities concerning shea to focus more on issues related to access to this resource. bs_bs_banner 1 AAK (AarhusKarlshamn AB, Sweden) accounting for 60 per cent of the buying market, IOI Loders Croklaan (IOI group, Malaysia) and 3F (Foods Fats and Fertilizers Ltd, India) 498 Karen Rousseau et al.

Peri-urban transformation and shared natural resources: the case of shea trees depletion and livelihood in Wa municipality, Northwestern Ghana

“…For example, tenants could harvest non-timber products from economic trees for personal use but not for sale, they could not cut trees growing on the land, plant trees without owners consent, and even where they could plant trees, they generally have to share benefits with the owner (Fortmann, 1985;Poudyal, 2011). It is argued that, customary chiefs now have less authority over shea rules than they have in the past, coupled with a change in access to shea trees and uncertainty surrounding the rules of access to shea products (Rousseau et al, 2017;Wardell, Reenberg, & Tottrup, 2003). For instance, Wardell et al (2003) note that, the transformation of wooded agricultural landscapes in the Sudano-Sahelian region is the outcome of historically and culturally embedded interactions between complex social, economic and ecological processes which operate at widely varying scales and which change over time.…”

“…For instance, Wardell et al (2003) note that, the transformation of wooded agricultural landscapes in the Sudano-Sahelian region is the outcome of historically and culturally embedded interactions between complex social, economic and ecological processes which operate at widely varying scales and which change over time. Rousseau et al (2017) observed that in Burkina-Faso, increasing land pressure, shea prices, and shea trade have increased pressure on shea (Rousseau et al, 2017). For example, they noted that the rules that used to be enforced: the date of the beginning of shea collection, ban on shea collection at night, ban on the collection of unripe shea fruits are no longer respected nor are they tailored to new context of increased competition.…”

“…In sum, the discussions on the importance of shea trees and sustainable livelihoods of rapidly urbanizing cities, particularly in northern Ghana therefore seem relevant. It serves as source of food (fruits and sheabutter) and a ready source of cash for most households because it is an important export commodity (Poudyal, 2011;Rousseau et al, 2017). Access to and use of shea tree resources are embedded in land rights and tenure (Rousseau et al, 2017;Wardell et al, 2003).…”

“…It serves as source of food (fruits and sheabutter) and a ready source of cash for most households because it is an important export commodity (Poudyal, 2011;Rousseau et al, 2017). Access to and use of shea tree resources are embedded in land rights and tenure (Rousseau et al, 2017;Wardell et al, 2003). As such this paper fills in a huge gap in the literature on shea trees and livehoods by providing a detail account from an urban perspective which has received little attention by previous research (Lovet & Haq, 2000;Okiror et al, 2012;Wardell et al, 2003).…”

“…The effects have been mixed as peri-urbanization seems to present both opportunities and damaging effects on ecosystems and livelihoods in these zones (Kasanga & Kotey, 2001;Kuusaana & Eledi, 2015). While shea trees form an important component of livelihoods in northern Ghana and in West Africa (Fortmann, 1985;Poudyal, 2011;Rousseau, Gautier, & Wardell, 2017) much of the studies on shea trees has concentrated on rural communities with little attention given to it in rapidly urbanizing cities. This study therefore, closes this research gap.…”