Market potential of shea caterpillars in the Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri District of the North East region of Ghana

ABSTRACT Traditionally consumed by certain communities in Africa’s shea-growing belt, shea caterpillars (Cirina butyrospermi, Vuillot 1911) have seen a growing market demand over the years. Although shea caterpillars are one of the most common insect species associated with shea parklands in Ghana, limited literature exists on these caterpillars’ market prospects. With the governments recognizing the economic potential of shea nuts, there have been various efforts to document the shea nut trade in all major shea producing countries. However, it is still unknown what volumes of shea caterpillar trade occur in Ghana. Our study area includes the five key markets that are popular for shea caterpillar trade in the Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri district of the North East Region of Ghana. This paper uses qualitative and quantitative data collected through key-informant interviews, guided market surveys, and focus group discussions to shed light on the annual trade of shea caterpillars, their supply chains, the value of the sector, and some sustainability concerns. Our results could guide the research community to investigate these caterpillars’ commercial prospects as edible food.