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June 11, 2026Open Access

Characterization of Shea Butter Production Systems in the 2kp Municipalities of Benin

Key Points

The research aims to characterize the various shea butter production systems in the 2KP municipalities of northern Benin and their socioeconomic implications.
Conducted field surveys and direct observations with 200 women processors across 26 villages.
Utilized multivariate statistical methods including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA).
Analyzed processing practices using chi-square tests and ANOVA.
Identified three distinct production systems: a traditional system (72%), a semi-mechanized system (24%), and a mechanized system (4%).
The mechanized system achieved the highest technical efficiency and product quality.
Participation in processing systems is influenced by socioeconomic factors like education, access to equipment and credit, and membership in organizations.

Abstract

This study examines shea butter production systems in the municipalities of Kerou, Kouande, and Pehunco (2KP) in northern Benin, where this activity constitutes a critical source of income, economic empowerment, and social security for rural women. Despite the strategic importance of the shea value chain, processing practices remain marked by substantial technical, organizational, and socioeconomic heterogeneity, which constrains both productivity and the quality of the butter produced. The principal innovation of this research lies in the development of an empirical and operational typology of processing systems, grounded in a methodological framework that combines field surveys, direct observations, and multivariate statistical analyses. Data were collected from 200 women processors across 26 villages and analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), chi-square tests, and ANOVA. The key findings identify three distinct systems: a predominantly traditional system (72%), characterized by manual techniques, high labor intensity, and low yields; a semi-mechanized system (24%), which partially incorporates improved equipment and delivers intermediate productivity gains; and a still marginal mechanized system (4%), yet one that achieves the highest levels of technical efficiency, product quality, and standardization. The study further demonstrates that participation in these systems is strongly shaped by socioeconomic factors, including educational attainment, access to equipment and credit, and membership in collective organizations. From a policy perspective, the results underscore the need for differentiated and targeted public interventions focused on technical training for women, upgrading processing infrastructure, improving access to finance, and strengthening women’s producer organizations, in order to promote a gradual, inclusive, and sustainable modernization of the shea value chain in the 2KP region.

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