PFID/NP Ghana

Overview of Ongoing Work

In 2004, PFID/NP joined ASNAPP's ongoing work creating economic development utilizing Ghana’s natural product resources. Our current programs include herbal teas, spices, medicinal plants and plant butters which are grown, harvested and sold by rural producers in the different Ghanaian regions. Together with our public and private sector partnerships we are creating sustainable economic growth through product development, market linkages, QA/QC, rural enterprise development, applied research and technology transfer, capacity building and policy advocacy.

PFID/NP also hosted and organized the Making Quality Matter Workshop, which brought together different players of the natural product sector. Additional milestones of this workshop included the re-launching of the Botanical Product Association of Ghana (BOTPAG).

The Rutgers team conducted quality control procedures to help develop quality standards.  Rutgers undergraduate research and honor students as well as graduate students and visiting scientist have been involved in the analysis of the chemistry and quality of Voacanga and Griffonia among other botanical products.

PFID/NP, in partnership with the Botanical Product Association of Ghana (BOTPAG) and the Ghanaian Standards Board, has been working to increase the quality and consistency of botanicals to develop national and international quality control standards for the products. As a consequence, we have as a team with the private sector helped produce 1200 MTs of botanicals valued at over $5 million US. New research between Rutgers and Ghana scientists lead to the discovery and patent which was recently awarded on a new anti-inflammatory compounds from African nutmeg or kombo butter and a benefit sharing model has been developed to further support the conservation and preservation and science of natural products in Ghana by BRI, the USA and Ghana natural products company which now holds the exclusive license from Rutgers to commercialize.

Country Program

Country Coordinator - Julie Asante Dartey

Crop Cluster

1. Herbal Teas

Lippia (Lippia multiflora)

Mondia (Mondia whitei)

Alligator's pepper (Xylopia aethiopica)

2. Spices

Grain of paradise (Aframomum melegueta)

Mondia (Mondia Whitei)

Alligators’ pepper (Xylopia aethiopica)

3. Medicinal Plants

Griffonia (Griffonia simplicifolia)

Voacanga (Voacanga africana)

4. Plant Butters

Shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa)

Kombo butter (Pycnanthus angolensis)

Hibiscus flowers being processed

Kombo nuts being boiled to extract the oil for kombo butter extraction. .