UGPPK is a group of 3,000 women who gather shea nuts to produce shea butter. The Union of Women Producers of Shea Products of Sissili and Ziro (UGPPK S/Z) is located in the Sissili and Ziro provinces, near the border with Ghana. It was set up to improve the position of women involved in shea butter production, most of whom are illiterate, and reduce poverty in the villages. It is commonly known as the Léo Union after the town where its headquarters are located.
Shea nuts play an important economic role in the region where they are the main source of income for women, the main participants in the industry. Some members are nut harvesters who gather, sort, wash and dry the nuts. Others are butter producers who harvest about a third of the nuts they need and buy the rest from harvesters. The nuts are collected from the bush or from trees in the cotton fields owned by the women’s husbands. The harvesters are mainly located in remote areas where cotton doesn‘t grow and there are few opportunities to earn cash. UGPPK has a high profile in the industry, with a presence at national and international trade fairs, and is a member of the industry body known as the ‘filière’, made up of producers, government ministries, NGOs, and traders. UGPPK gained organic certification in December 2007.

**All images from Creative Commons. Specific Authors: Erik Hersman, Kazuhiro Keino, Nina Nelson