Sommalife, the Wa-based shea-focused agtech platform, has closed €440,000 in debt funding from the Kampani, the Brussels-based social impact fund.
What will the investment be used for?
The investment by Kampani will enable Sommalife to address logistical challenges that pose a bottleneck to its operations. With funding from Kampani, the company plans to acquire trucks and other transportation assets, reducing its reliance on third-party providers. This investment will streamline collection and delivery processes, improve traceability, and accelerate payments to farmers, further enhancing the company’s impact on the shea value chain.
What problem is Sommalife solving?
Over 16 million women in West Africa, particularly Ghana, depend on shea nut production for survival. However, desertification, claiming 20,000 hectares of land annually, threatens both their livelihoods and the environment. Unsustainable practices, including overreliance on shea trees for charcoal production, further endanger these vital resources.
Compounding these challenges, limited market access keeps farmers disconnected from international buyers, potentially lowering their profits. Additionally, a lack of resources and knowledge in sustainable agriculture hinders both economic gain and conservation efforts, pushing these women deeper into poverty.
Founded in 2020 by Mawuse Gyisun and JohnCarl Dunyo, Sommalife is digitising the shea supply chain and providing the needed tools and resources to smallholder farmers to improve their income. Using its proprietary software, TreeSyt, the company digitises the operations of smallholder farmers, empowers them to be climate-resilient through its conservation activities and connects them to international markets. Farmers are thus able to earn fair wages, usually 21% above local market prices, while corporate buyers also get access to traceable commodities.
As of 2024, TreeSyt has registered 120,000 farmers, with 40,000 actively selling shea through the platform. This initiative is complemented by essential services and training in sustainable farming, ensuring not only product quality but also economic empowerment for farmers. In a region where over 16 million people are involved in shea production, Sommalife has ambitious plans to scale its impact. By 2030, the company aims to reach one million farmers by expanding into Togo, Benin, Mali, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast.
