Latest revision as of 16:17, 9 December 2009

Shea Nut Tree (Karité, Nku, Bambuk Butter tree)

Short Description

Problem:
Idea:
Difficulty:
Price Range:
Material Needeed:
Geographic Area:
Competencies:
How Many people?
How Long does it take?

Introduction

The shea tree, also commonly known as karité (Wolof and French), Nku or Bambuk butter tree, grows wild in the equatorial belt of central Africa between Gambia and Sudan where oil palms do not grow because of insufficient precipitation.

The oil extracted has a relatively high melting point and is used in rural areas in the making of foods, soap manufacture, traditional drugs and cosmetics. Shea is mainly exported as smoked kernels and can be used as an extender in chocolate as its properties are similar to cocoa butter.

The production of shea butter is an important source of income for many women but heavy fluctuations in availability of raw materials limits profitability and restricted it as a farmed crop.

Cultivation

A shea-tree (Butyrospermum Parkii) needs between 8 and 15 years until the first harvest but some time longer to reach full capacity. A tree can yield of 15 to 20 kg of fresh fruit that will produce 3 to 4 kg of dry kernels. The kernels are made up of 42 to 48% oil.

Pests and diseases

Damage to foliage is caused by the larvae of Cirina butryrospermi and Anacridium moestum. Muissida nigriveriella and Ceratitis silvestrii larvae may develop inside the pulp of the mature fruit thus causing damage. The tress may suffer from leaf spot.

Harvesting

Women and children collect the fallen fruit and take them back to their villages for processing into shea butter, an edible fat. Harvest is at the beginning of the rainy season. Harvest prospects are subject to considerable fluctuations.

References and further reading

This Howtopedia entry was derived from the Practical Action Technical Brief Shea Nut Processing.
To look at the original document follow this link: http://www.practicalaction.org/?id=technical_briefs

• Soapmaking, Practical Action Technical Brief

• Oil Extraction, Practical Action Technical Brief

• Shea Butter Extraction in Mali, Appropriate Technology Bulletin No 6, Appropriate Technology International, 1985

• Oil Extraction, Food Cycle Source Book 1, UNIFEM and IT Publications, 1987

• Appropriate technology for shea-butter production: A women’s technology in Mali GTZ/GATE

• Appropriate Technology Products of Ghana, DAPIT Project Secretariat, Ministry of Environmental, Science & Technology, 1995, ISBN 9988-7615-0-3

• Minor Oil Crops, Intermediate Technology Consultants, 1991

References and further reading

This Howtopedia entry was derived from the Practical Action Technical Brief Shea Nut Processing.
To look at the original document follow this link: http://www.practicalaction.org/?id=technical_briefs

• Soapmaking, Practical Action Technical Brief

• Oil Extraction, Practical Action Technical Brief

• Shea Butter Extraction in Mali, Appropriate Technology Bulletin No 6, Appropriate Technology International, 1985

• Oil Extraction, Food Cycle Source Book 1, UNIFEM and IT Publications, 1987

• Appropriate technology for shea-butter production: A women’s technology in Mali GTZ/GATE

• Appropriate Technology Products of Ghana, DAPIT Project Secretariat, Ministry of Environmental, Science & Technology, 1995, ISBN 9988-7615-0-3

• Minor Oil Crops, Intermediate Technology Consultants, 1991

Useful contacts

Practical Action The Schumacher Centre for Technology & Development, Bourton on Dunsmore, RUGBY, CV23 9QZ, United Kingdom.
Tel.: +44 (0) 1926 634400, Fax: +44 (0) 1926 634401 e-mail:practicalaction@practicalaction.org.uk web:www.practicalaction.org

Raise
Website:http://www.raise.org/natural/shea/shea.stm

GRATIS (Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service)
P.O. Box 151, Tema, Ghana
Tel: 010 233 221 4243, Fax: 010 233 221 6251

COVOL (The Cooperative Office for Voluntary Organizations)
4680 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz CA 95062, USA
Tel: 831 462.2182
Web site: http://www.covol.org/shea.html
COVOL have a shea project working primarily with women's farming groups across northern Uganda

International Centre for Underutilised Crops
Institute of Irrigation and Development Studies
University of Southampton
Southampton SO17 1BJ
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)2380 594229
Fax: +44 (0)2380 677519
E-mail:
Website: http://www.soton.ac.uk/~icuc/

Post Harvest Programme
NR International
PO Box 258
Chatham Maritime
Kent ME4 4PU, UK

CEPAZE (Centre d'Exchages et Promotion des Artisans en Zons a Equiper)
18 rue de Varenne
75007 Paris
France
CEPACE began developing equipment for shea butter production in 1980

DFID Crop Post-harvest Programme, Improved processing of Shea nuts in northern Ghana (R6631). A bridge type screw press was developed for the extraction of shea butter, local construction of the press was carried out by the Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit in Tamale

KIT - Royal Tropical Institute (Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen)
Postbus 95001
1090 HA Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)20 568 8711
Fax: +31 (0)20 6684 579
</u>
Web site: http://www.kit.nl/

Equipment suppliers

Note: This is a selective list of suppliers and does not imply endorsement by howtopedia.

Farmers' Technical Service and Technological Training Centre
P. O. Box 9899, Accra, Ghana
Manufacture batch toasters, a vertical Hand Press and motorised oil expellers.

S.I.S Engineering Ltd.
P.O. Box 45
U.S.T Kumasi
Ghana
Produced a churning and washing machine and a manual screw press.

UNATA (Union for Appropriate Technology Assistance)
G. Van den Heuvelstraat 131, 3140 Ramsel, Belgium
Spindle press oil expeller

IITU (Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit) -
GRATIS
P.O. Box 951, Northern Region, Tamale, Ghana
Produce a shea nut grinder/mill
10 hp electric & 8hp diesel

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-=Shea Nut Processing - Technical Brief=
+=Shea Nut Tree (Karité, Nku, Bambuk Butter tree) =
-<div class="booktext">
+==Short Description==
+*'''Problem:'''
-<center>'''PRACTICAL ACTION'''<br /> Technology challenging poverty</center>
+*'''Idea:'''
+*'''Difficulty:'''
-</div>
+*'''Price Range:'''
+*'''Material Needeed:'''
+*'''Geographic Area:'''
+*'''Competencies:'''
+*'''How Many people?'''
+*'''How Long does it take?'''
 ==Introduction==
@@ Line 42: / Line 47: @@
 </div>
+==References and further reading==
+'''This Howtopedia entry was derived from the Practical Action Technical Brief ''Shea Nut Processing''.  <br />To look at the original document follow this link: http://www.practicalaction.org/?id=technical_briefs'''<br />
-==Processing==
+• ''Soapmaking'', Practical Action Technical Brief
-<div class="booktext">
+• ''Oil Extraction'', Practical Action Technical Brief
-The Green pulp exterior is removed. One method is to bury the fruit in the ground so that the pulp ferments and falls off. This takes 12 days or more. The nuts are parboiled or sun dried and then smoked for 3 to 4 days. The dried nuts can then be stored for long periods without significant losses. Decortication is done by crushing the outer shell to remove kernels. Shea nuts are mainly exported as smoked kernels'''.''' The kernels will be further dried before any additional processing is carried out.
+• ''Shea Butter Extraction in Mali, Appropriate Technology Bulletin No 6,'' Appropriate Technology International, 1985
-</div>
+• ''Oil Extraction, Food Cycle Source Book 1,'' UNIFEM and IT Publications, 1987
-==Shea nut butter==
+• ''Appropriate technology for shea-butter production: A women’s technology in Mali'' GTZ/GATE
-<div class="booktext">
+• ''Appropriate Technology Products of Ghana,'' DAPIT Project Secretariat, Ministry of Environmental, Science & Technology, 1995, ISBN 9988-7615-0-3
-Traditionally wet processing by hand is a slow and laborious process that uses large quantities of wood for roasting. The kernels are roasted in a pot over a fire to approximately 100°C and then pounded in a mortar to produce a course paste. This is then ground between two stones to produce a smooth paste. The paste and water are mixed in a pot where the butter rises to the top. The butter can then be removed and washed repeatedly with warm water until clean. The remaining water is remove by heating. Impurities settle out and the butter can be left to cool and solidify. With the traditional technique, the fat obtained is between 25 and 40% of the dry kernel weight.
+• ''Minor Oil Crops,'' Intermediate Technology Consultants, 1991
-The introduction of equipment can improve upon traditional methods of production by reducing the effort and time involved and by increasing the yield. Instead of pounding by hand a mill can be used, Oil can be extracted using a mechanical or hydraulic press. Manually turned roasters can be used rather than a traditional pot. A very important consideration is the minimum throughput required to run the equipment profitably, including the initial cost, management of the equipment and maintenance.
-</div>
-==Shea butter press==
-<div class="booktext">
-The fat is squeezed out of the heated shea-powder under high pressure. For a high amount of fat, a press capable of at 125bar pressure is required. The fat must then be cleared of all residues by bringing it to the boil together with okra, lemon juice and water. To increase the output, the process can be repeated. The resulting press cake is excellent for use as fuel for ovens and reduces the fuelwood demand. The amount of fat derived is determined by the condition of the shea nut. The yield will be greater if the harvest carefully stored and preserved. Complete inactivation of enzymes will prevent the formation of free fat acids. The heating of the powder to between 100° and 120° Centigrade is not difficult but the unassisted use of the press needs longer to learn. In order to get a maximum pressure of 125 bar a lot of force is required by the user.
-</div>
-==Food==
-<div class="booktext">
-Used as baking fat and to substitute cocoa butter to make chocolate and other products.
-</div>
-==Cosmetics==
-<div class="booktext">
-Shea butter is used as a base for cosmetics, skincare products moisturising cream anti ageing treatments. It also has anti inflammation properties.
-</div>
-==Soapmaking from Shea==
-<div class="booktext">
-The cake left after the second pressing can be burned to produce potash for soapmaking or for fertiliser'''.'''
-</div>
 ==References and further reading==
+'''This Howtopedia entry was derived from the Practical Action Technical Brief ''Shea Nut Processing''.  <br />To look at the original document follow this link: http://www.practicalaction.org/?id=technical_briefs'''<br />
-<div class="booktext">
 • ''Soapmaking'', Practical Action Technical Brief
@@ Line 111: / Line 81: @@
 • ''Minor Oil Crops,'' Intermediate Technology Consultants, 1991
-</div>
 ==Useful contacts==
+'''Practical Action'''
+The Schumacher Centre for Technology & Development, Bourton on Dunsmore, RUGBY, CV23 9QZ, United Kingdom.<br />
+'''Tel.:''' +44 (0) 1926 634400, '''Fax:''' +44 (0) 1926 634401
+'''e-mail:'''[mailto:practicalaction@practicalaction.org.uk practicalaction@practicalaction.org.uk]
+'''web:'''[http://www.practicalaction.org www.practicalaction.org]
+<center>[[Image:Pa-logo-200x103.gif]]</center>
-<div class="booktext"><div align="left">
+'''Raise''' <br />Website:<u>http://www.raise.org/natural/shea/shea.stm</u>
-{| cellpadding="5"
+'''GRATIS''' (Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service)<br /> P.O. Box 151,  Tema,  Ghana<br /> Tel: 010 233 221 4243, Fax: 010 233 221 6251
-|- valign="top"
-| valign="top" |
-Raise Website:<br /><u>http://www.raise.org/natural/shea/shea.stm</u>
-| valign="top" |
-GRATIS (Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service)<br /> P.O. Box 151<br /> Tema<br /> Ghana<br /> Tel: 010 233 221 4243<br /> Fax: 010 233 221 6251
-|- valign="top"
-|- valign="top"
-| valign="top" |
-COVOL (The Cooperative Office for Voluntary Organizations)<br /> 4680 Portola Drive<br /> Santa Cruz CA 95062<br /> USA<br /> Tel: 831 462.2182<br /> E-mail: <u>[mailto:shea@covol.org shea@covol.org]</u><br /> Web site: <u>http://www.covol.org/shea.html</u><br /> COVOL have a shea project working primarily with women's farming groups across northern Uganda
-| valign="top" |
-International Centre for Underutilised Crops<br /> Institute of Irrigation and Development Studies<br /> University of Southampton<br /> Southampton SO17 1BJ<br /> United Kingdom<br /> Telephone: +44 (0)2380 594229<br /> Fax: +44 (0)2380 677519<br /> E-mail: <u>[mailto:haq@soton.ac.uk haq@soton.ac.uk]</u><br /> Website: <u>http://www.soton.ac.uk/~icuc/</u>
-|- valign="top"
-|- valign="top"
-| valign="top" |
-Programme Manager, Crop Post Harvest Programme<br /> NR International<br /> PO Box 258<br /> Chatham Maritime<br /> Kent ME4 4PU, UK<br /> E-mail: <u>[mailto:t.donaldson@rge.ac.uk t.donaldson@rge.ac.uk]</u><br /> E-mail: <u>[mailto:a.a.swetman@gre.ac.uk a.a.swetman@gre.ac.uk]</u>
-| valign="top" |
-CEPAZE (Centre d'Exchages et Promotion des Artisans en Zons a Equiper)<br /> 18 rue de Varenne<br /> 75007 Paris<br /> France<br /> CEPACE began developing equipment for shea butter production in 1980
-|- valign="top"
-|- valign="top"
-| valign="top" |
-DFID Crop Post-harvest Programme, Improved processing of Shea nuts in northern Ghana (R6631). A bridge type screw press was developed for the extraction of shea butter, local construction of the press was carried out by the Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit in Tamale
-| valign="top" |
-KIT - Royal Tropical Institute (Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen)<br /> Postbus 95001<br /> 1090 HA Amsterdam<br /> The Netherlands<br /> Tel: +31 (0)20 568 8711<br /> Fax: +31 (0)20 6684 579<br /> E-mail: <u>[mailto:pr@kit.nl pr@kit.nl] <mailto:[mailto:pr@kit.nl pr@kit.nl]></u><br /> Web site: <u>http://www.kit.nl/</u>
-|}
-</div></div>
+'''COVOL''' (The Cooperative Office for Voluntary Organizations)<br /> 4680 Portola Drive,  Santa Cruz CA 95062,  USA<br /> Tel: 831 462.2182<br /> Web site: <u>http://www.covol.org/shea.html</u><br /> COVOL have a shea project working primarily with women's farming groups across northern Uganda
+'''International Centre for Underutilised Crops'''<br /> Institute of Irrigation and Development Studies<br /> University of Southampton<br /> Southampton SO17 1BJ<br /> United Kingdom<br /> Telephone: +44 (0)2380 594229<br /> Fax: +44 (0)2380 677519<br /> E-mail: <u></u><br /> Website: <u>http://www.soton.ac.uk/~icuc/</u>
+'''Post Harvest Programme'''<br /> NR International<br /> PO Box 258<br /> Chatham Maritime<br /> Kent ME4 4PU, UK<br />
+'''CEPAZE''' (Centre d'Exchages et Promotion des Artisans en Zons a Equiper)<br /> 18 rue de Varenne<br /> 75007 Paris<br /> France<br /> CEPACE began developing equipment for shea butter production in 1980
+'''DFID Crop Post-harvest Programme''', Improved processing of Shea nuts in northern Ghana (R6631). A bridge type screw press was developed for the extraction of shea butter, local construction of the press was carried out by the Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit in Tamale
+'''KIT - Royal Tropical Institute''' (Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen)<br /> Postbus 95001<br /> 1090 HA Amsterdam<br /> The Netherlands<br /> Tel: +31 (0)20 568 8711<br /> Fax: +31 (0)20 6684 579<br /> </u><br /> Web site: <u>http://www.kit.nl/</u>
 ==Equipment suppliers==
-<div class="booktext">
+Note: This is a selective list of suppliers and does not imply endorsement by howtopedia.
-Note: This is a selective list of suppliers and does not imply endorsement by Practical Action.
-<div align="left">
+Farmers' Technical Service and Technological Training Centre<br /> P. O. Box 9899,  Accra, Ghana<br /> Manufacture batch toasters, a vertical Hand Press and motorised oil expellers.
-{| cellpadding="5"
-|- valign="top"
-| valign="top" |
-Farmers' Technical Service and Technological Training Centre<br /> P. O. Box 9899<br /> Accra<br /> Ghana<br /> Manufacture batch toasters, a vertical Hand Press and motorised oil expellers.
-| valign="top" |
 S.I.S Engineering Ltd.<br /> P.O. Box 45<br /> U.S.T Kumasi<br /> Ghana<br /> Produced a churning and washing machine and a manual screw press.
-|- valign="top"
-|- valign="top"
-| valign="top" |
-UNATA (Union for Appropriate Technology Assistance)<br /> G. Van den Heuvelstraat 131<br /> 3140 Ramsel<br /> Belgium<br /> Spindle press oil expeller
-| valign="top" |
-IITU (Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit) -<br /> GRATIS<br /> P.O. Box 951, Northern Region<br /> Tamale<br /> Ghana<br /> Produce a shea nut grinder/mill<br /> 10 hp electric & 8hp diesel
-|}
-</div>
+UNATA (Union for Appropriate Technology Assistance)<br /> G. Van den Heuvelstraat 131, 3140 Ramsel,  Belgium<br /> Spindle press oil expeller
-'''Practical Action, The Schumacher Centre for Technology & Development'''<br />'''Bourton Hall, Bourton-on-Dunsmore, Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 9QZ, UK'''<br />'''Tel: +44 (0)1926 634400 Fax: +44(0)1926 634401'''<br />'''E-mail: [mailto:Infoserv@practicalaction.org.uk Infoserv@practicalaction.org.uk] Web: http://www.practicalaction.org'''
+IITU (Intermediate Technology Transfer Unit) -<br /> GRATIS<br /> P.O. Box 951, Northern Region,  Tamale,  Ghana<br /> Produce a shea nut grinder/mill<br /> 10 hp electric & 8hp diesel
-'''Intermediate Technology Development Group Ltd Patron HRH -'''<br />'''The Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB'''<br />'''Company Reg. No 871954, England Reg. Charity No 247257 VAT No 241 5154 92'''<br />
+==Related Articles==
+*[[What to Do with Neem Seeds]]
+*[[How to Grow Shea Trees (Karité, Nku, Bambuk Butter tree)]]
+*[[Detailed Bibliography on Shea Trees (Karité, Nku, Bambuk Butter tree)]]
+*[[How to Purify Water with Moringa Seeds]]
+*[[How to Grow Moringa Trees]]
+*[[How to Grow Neem Trees]]
-</div>
+==Categories==
+ [[Category:Agriculture]] [[Category:Food Processing]] [[Category:Health]] [[Category:Ideas]] [[Category:Small Business]] [[Category:Products]]
+[[Category:Tree]]
-{| width="100%" align="center"
+[[fr:Culture des arbres Shea (Karité, Nku, Bambuk, arbre à Beurre)]]
-|
+[[Category:Requested translation to Spanish]]
-{| width="100%" align="center"
-| height="1" bgcolor="#FF9900" |
-[[Image:spacer.gif]]<br />
-|}
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-|
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-| align="left" |
-[javascript:openWindow2('/collect/gtzinti/static/feedback.htm',750,600) Please provide your feedback]
-| align="right" |
-<span class="langmeniuactiv"> English </span><nowiki>|</nowiki>[gsdl?e=d-00gtzinti---000--1-0--010---4----0--0-10l--1en-5000---50-about-0---01131-0011X%40QH%5bb%29Pc0a8012e0000096444f17f50-0utfZz-8-0-0&cl=CL3.13&d=Js7713e&az=A&gt=2&gc=&ihs=0&l=fr&az=A&p=about  French ]<nowiki>|</nowiki>[gsdl?e=d-00gtzinti---000--1-0--010---4----0--0-10l--1en-5000---50-about-0---01131-0011X%40QH%5bb%29Pc0a8012e0000096444f17f50-0utfZz-8-0-0&cl=CL3.13&d=Js7713e&az=A&gt=2&gc=&ihs=0&l=es&az=A&p=about  Spanish ]
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Difference between revisions of "How to Grow Shea Trees (Karité, Nku, Bambuk Butter tree)"

Latest revision as of 16:17, 9 December 2009

Contents

Shea Nut Tree (Karité, Nku, Bambuk Butter tree)

Short Description

Introduction

Cultivation

Pests and diseases

Harvesting

References and further reading

References and further reading

Useful contacts

Equipment suppliers

Related Articles

Categories

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