Shea Butter Export Readiness Pilot | Northern Côte d'Ivoire
We are currently implementing a 90-day pilot project with women-led shea cooperatives in Northern Côte d'Ivoire. This pilot is designed to prove our model and create a template for replication across regions and crops.
The pilot demonstrates exactly how we make smallholder agriculture bankable and investable: by structuring the value chain from producer to buyer, implementing quality and traceability systems, and securing the finance needed to make it work.
By Day 90, AgriLink will have:
We begin by selecting and onboarding 1-3 women cooperatives through field visits and signing simple MoUs. We then conduct a quality baseline and gap assessment, testing shea butter samples for color, smell, moisture, and impurities. Finally, we implement simple SOPs and a traceability system using batch numbers and production logbooks.
We supervise a pilot production run of 300-1,000 kg of consistent-quality shea butter with full traceability. Simultaneously, we conduct buyer outreach: contacting 10-15 buyers via email and LinkedIn, holding virtual meetings, and dispatching samples. We also structure finance by identifying the best-fit option: buyer pre-finance, impact fund, or grant.
We model export pricing and draft a sample supply agreement. We then evaluate the pilot: quality consistency, cooperative performance, buyer feedback, and finance viability. Finally, we prepare for scale with a case study, pitch deck, and investor/buyer one-pagers.
We are connecting with EU natural cosmetics SMEs, ethical skincare brands, shea ingredient importers, and social enterprise brands. These buyers value stable volumes, genuine women empowerment stories, traceability, and long-term supply relationships.
We are implementing simple SOPs for nut selection, drying, roasting, churning, and storage. We are introducing batch numbers, production logbooks, and cooperative-level aggregation records. We are also preparing product specification sheets, impact stories, and production documentation.
On the finance side, we are structuring layered capital: grants for equipment, working capital for operations, and buyer advances for exports.
By the end of the pilot, we will have:
This pilot is not just about shea butter. It is a proof of concept for our entire model. It demonstrates that women-led cooperatives can produce export-quality products with the right systems in place. It proves that buyers will commit when they see reliable, traceable supply. It shows that finance can be structured to work for both producers and lenders. And it confirms that the model is replicable across regions and crops.
After shea, we will expand to sesame as a cash-flow stabilizer. In the next 12-24 months, we will add cashew processing and mango drying. Beyond that, we will explore fonio and other niche superfoods.
Whether you are a buyer looking for reliable supply, an investor wanting to support inclusive growth, or a donor interested in scaling this model, we would like to hear from you.
