In the northern Republic of Ghana, a manually operated press for shea butter extraction is successful and popular among rural women. Shea butter production is an important income earning activity for women in rural areas and for many, it is their only source of income. Shea butter is used for cooking and for cosmetic purposes and it is increasingly valuable as an export commodity. However, successful implementation of the technology is hinder by lack of business group and management skills, competition from large-scale enterprises, inflation and international commodity price fluctuations.