In Ghana, bees are creating a buzz by boosting crop yields up to 60%. Tilaa Limited is at the forefront of this lucrative opportunity, with the potential to generate $100 million annually.
Tilaa Limited is an environmentally and socially responsible beekeeping and cashew business that manufactures a range of premium honey and cashew products in Mion District of Ghana.
Tilaa was established as a solution to the environmental challenges facing northern Ghana, where overexploitation of vegetation has put 35% of the country at risk of desertification. This has resulted in an estimated damage cost of $1.4 billion, equivalent to 6% of the country's GDP, according to the Economics of Land Degradation, January 2020 publication.
In collaboration with TerraFund for AFR100, an initiative of World Resources Institute, One Tree Planted, and Realize Impact that finances Africa's top restoration enterprises and projects, Tilla received a low-interest loan to grow 100,000 cashew trees. These mighty money makers also food security and lock away planet-warming carbon dioxide.
To support land restoration, Tilaa plants cashew trees on smallholder farmers’ property and sets up bee hives underneath. Tilaa buys cashews, honey, and beeswax from the farmers, increasing their income from $500 to $2,000. They have trained 500 female out-growers since 2015.
Sadik ibn Adulai, chief executive officer and co-founder of Tilaa Limited has dedicated his life to grow his company’s impact, particularly for women:
“The women who have been trained through the project are now notable participants in driving our local economy to a larger scale. The work they do not only helps financially support their families but also sustainably conserve the environment,” said Sadik.
Tilaa Limited is seeking support to collaborate with more farmers. The company aims to plant cashew, shea, and mango trees, buy processing equipment, hire more people, and construct more beehives. These efforts are important to address the challenges of this arid and climate-vulnerable region.
With the growing success of Tilaa's project and their efforts to expand, they bring hope for the fight against desertification in Ghana and the creation of sustainable economic opportunities for local communities.
