Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn.) – a peripheral empire commodity in French West Africa, 1894–1960

Burkinabé women have traded shea kernels and butter in periodic local markets, on a regional scale with the densely-populated West African littoral, for centuries. This paper traces origins of French colonial efforts to develop as commodity empire from 1890s independence 1960. Colonial incorporate Upper Volta, backwater, into world economy was drawn out, heterogenous, messy. The state assumed erroneously that little trade existed, producers would respond positively market incentives. Yet, we suggest policies failed due composite factors including limited investment either colony or an oilseed crop, adaptation by extraction male labour opportunities created new international borders, 'blindness' officials economic, social cultural functions markets used traders. historical trajectory continues implications current-day their actors.