Disbursement for shea collectors begins in Bimbilla – 275,000 women to receive €13m for 2026 season.
The pre-finance disbursement of €13 million — equivalent to over GH¢170 million — to women shea collectors under the Kolo Nafaso programme has begun in the Bimbilla area, where 15,480 women are benefitting.
The pre-finance investment by AAK is being distributed to women in participating communities in northern Ghana to strengthen income stability, safety and community resilience.
The disbursement is in line with the annual pre-financing scheme ahead of the shea season.
The Kolo Nafaso programme, the largest direct sourcing programme for any agricultural crop in the world, now boasts 275,000 women as of April 2026, up from 230,000 in January 2026.
The pre-financing programme is both interest-free and obligation-free, meaning the women are not obligated to sell their shea kernels to AAK.
Representatives from the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, on a field visit to AAK operations in Tamale, observed the activities.
Engagement
The Director of Agribusiness at the ministry, Kwame Oppong-Ntim, and the Deputy Director, Abdul Muhsin Abubakari, engaged with Kolo Nafaso beneficiaries and partners in the area.
The visit provided a first-hand view of how the pre-financing model translates from policy to practice, delivering timely capital directly into the hands of women at a critical point in the season.
The pre-financing is designed to address a critical period just before the shea season, when many women have little to no income.
It enables them to prepare their farms, purchase seeds and essential inputs, and meet pressing household needs while they await income from the collection and sale of shea kernels later in the season.
Crucially, the financing is provided interest-free and without restrictions on its use, allowing each woman to decide what matters most for her household and livelihood.
