COCOBOD makes breakthrough in converting shea to biodiesel

Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), through the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), has successfully produced biodiesel from shea butter, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has said.

Speaking at a durbar of chiefs and cocoa farmers in Offinso, Konongo Odumase and Juaso in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Aidoo said CRIG’s research has significantly reduced the gestation period of shea plants from between 35 and 40 years to just three years.

This development, he explained, is set to revolutionise shea farming in northern parts of the country, opening new economic opportunities for farmers.

Mr. Aidoo observed that as shea cultivation expands, the market value of shea butter is likely to decline. To maximise the product’s economic potential, he directed CRIG to explore the feasibility of producing biodiesel from shea butter.

This initiative has successfully resulted in the production of biodiesel, though it has not yet been commercialised.

He expressed optimism that the potential of biodiesel production could contribute to the renewable energy sector. He noted that this innovation could greatly benefit cocoa farmers, as many of the tools and machinery used in cocoa farming rely on premixed fuel.

In the near future, he predicted, the country will no longer need to import premixed fuel because farmers would have cultivated enough shea nuts to support biodiesel production.

“We now have shea nut seedlings that grow within just three years, and we are providing them to farmers in northern parts of the country,” he said.

“This biodiesel works like premixed fuel, the same kind used in machines on our cocoa farms – whether for spraying, weeding or pruning.”

Mr. Aidoo added that ongoing research is focused on ensuring the biodiesel is suitable for use in vehicles.

As part of this initiative, COCOBOD has already established a shea plantation in Bole, a district in the Savannah Region, and has set up a large nursery to produce high-quality seedlings for farmers.

The conversion of shea butter into biodiesel represents an exciting opportunity to diversify the economic impact of shea farming in the region.