The rains no longer come as they used to. The land — once green and full of life — is turning brown. And the shea trees, the pride and lifeline of northern Ghana’s women, now stand lifeless.
For generations, these trees fed families, paid school fees, and kept young girls in their communities. But today, they tell a story of loss, migration, and survival.
In the busy streets and markets of Kumasi, hundreds of women weave through cars and traders, balancing heavy loads on their heads. Among them is Maryam Hadi, once a shea nut collector from the north.
“Sincerely, when I started picking shea nuts, it was profitable, because I could get like GH₵1000 or GH₵500 a month. But now it’s no longer there. I was using it for a business, but the business collapsed, so I had to come here as kayayoo.”
Maryam is now one of thousands of women working as “Kayayei” — female head porters who carry goods for customers in Ghana’s southern cities.
“It was beneficial back home than what I’m doing here now,” she added quietly.
The work is exhausting and pays very little. Many of the women live in overcrowded slums, face harassment, and struggle to afford food. Yet, they stay — because back home, the land no longer sustains them.
A 2022 study found that 61% of adolescent girls in northern Ghana migrate south. Of 168 girls surveyed, some were as young as nine years old. Nearly 40% were between 17 and 19. Most never return to school, trapped in a cycle of poverty and exploitation.
The science behind the loss
Experts say the dying shea trees are a symptom of a deeper crisis. Head of the Forest and Climate Change Division at the CSIR–Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, Dr. Reginald Tang Guuroh, says the trees are struggling to survive under changing weather patterns.
“Increased temperature and reduced rainfall, which is drought, are definitely going to have a stress on the plants, and that affects various physiological properties of the tree, in terms of its growth, in terms of its fruiting patterns.”
He explained that extreme heat and frequent wildfires make it even harder for the trees to recover.
“These lead to increased buildup of dried biomass, and when you have that, you end up having more risk of wildfires. The fires affect the trees and bring an added layer of stress for growth and productivity.”
Dr. Guuroh warned that if Ghana fails to protect the shea trees, the economic and social consequences could worsen.
“If we do not pay attention and improve on the shea value chain, we can expect more serious economic challenges — and that could lead to more migration than we are currently seeing.”
“We Came Here Because There Was No Food”
Another migrant from Karaga, Maryam Issaku, left her husband and children behind in search of survival.
“You can carry a load that may be too heavy, leading to neck and body pains. However, sometimes you may be fortunate and have a normal weight load,” she said.
Sulemana Maryam, from Galyei, echoes her pain. “If the shea nuts were there, we wouldn’t have come here and be suffering like this. It’s difficult here, but shea nuts are profitable. However, they’re no longer available like they used to be.”
Three Maryams. Three different towns. One shared fate — of family separation, endless toil, and fading dreams.
“We Want Our Dignity Back”
A Kayayei leader, Shamsiya Issah, says her only wish is for the trees — and her community — to live again.
“If God is the number one king, and I pray he accepts our prayers, so that the North will be productive as it used to be… so that we won’t have to come to this unhygienic place and be suffering and our dignity will be restored.”
Abdul Rauf Umar, who has lived in Kumasi since 1999, has watched this crisis unfold for decades.
“Some of the young girls carry loads too heavy for their bodies, and even when they return, the money is not enough to buy food. Some get robbed or cheated. We often have to give them some money to buy food. We plead with the authorities to find a solution so these children will stop coming here for Kayayei.”
The shea tree is often called “women’s gold.” Its nuts are used to produce shea butter, a key ingredient in cooking oil, soap, skin creams, and even international brands of chocolate and cosmetics.
In Ghana, the shea industry supports nearly one million rural women, most of them small-scale nut collectors and processors. Across West Africa, more than 16 million women rely on shea for income and survival.
Losing these trees would mean losing one of the most important female-driven economies in the region.
The shea tree grows wild across Ghana’s northern savannah, covering over 77,000 square kilometres — yet it now faces an uncertain future.
A glimmer of hope in the North
In Tamale, a small group is working to restore hope. The Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-G) is helping women learn new skills and find alternative livelihoods.
Executive Director of SWIDA-G, Hajia Alima Sagito, says the problem has reached alarming levels.
“We have been in communities where you can hardly count 10–15 young girls — they’re gone. People were relying on shea nuts for their income, but they are not available now. Among the push factors is lack of economic opportunities for women.”
She says shea is like cocoa for the women of the north and losing it means losing over a million livelihoods.
“If we lose it, we lose a million livelihoods.”
Can policy save the shea tree?
Executive Director of Dream Village, Clement Matorwmasen, believes the solution lies in better policies and stronger enforcement.
“What needs to be done specifically will be policy changes. Some of these policies already exist, but enforcing them is the problem. Can we go back to the drawing board and work with local communities?”
Ghana’s National Climate Change Policy recognizes migration as a major human security risk. The government has pledged to build resilient communities through reforestation, green jobs, and education for girls.
But for women like the three Maryams, these promises feel distant.
“Protection of the shea trees, we need to look at it holistically… we need awareness creation,” Dr. Guuroh said. “It might interest us to know that the Shea trees are classified as part of endangered species.”
The United Nations warns that by 2050, climate change could displace over 200 million people worldwide. Women and girls will be hardest hit, as their livelihoods often depend directly on the land.
The shea tree may no longer provide as it once did — but the women of northern Ghana, like their trees, remain rooted in resilience.
“I’m in pain that I’m a woman,” Shamsiya said softly. “We are risking our lives here. It is nothing; it is because the shea trees are longer fruiting in the North… So we pray that it will be available so that we gain back our pride and dignity.”
From Kumasi to the parched fields of the north, the story of Ghana’s climate migration is a call for action, justice, and hope.
This is a JoyNews-CDKN-University of Ghana C3SS project with funding from CLARE R4I Opportunities Fund.
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