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Policy, Regulatory & Standards Committee

Committee Overview

Shaping International Quality & Regulatory Frameworks

The Policy, Regulatory & Standards Committee provides technical oversight and strategic alignment across international agricultural trade policies, food-grade safety guidelines, and cross-border regulatory compliance.

By engaging directly with international standard bodies and regional governments, the committee safeguards the integrity, quality grading, and legal compliance of shea exports worldwide.

Core Focus Areas

Policy Harmonization

Aligning regional agricultural policies and export protocols across member nations.

Regulatory Compliance

Monitoring international food safety laws, cosmetic standards, and trade legislation.

Quality Standards

Establishing grading benchmarks, testing protocols, and certification criteria for raw nuts and butter.

Committee Responsibilities

  • Review and update international quality grading standards for raw shea nuts and refined butter.
  • Advise member organizations on navigating evolving European and North American import regulations.
  • Liaise with national standard authorities in producing countries to streamline certification procedures.
  • Draft policy briefs addressing trade barriers, tariff structures, and logistics bottlenecks.

Key Deliverables

  • Annual Global Shea Quality Compliance Handbook.
  • Quarterly Regulatory Alert Bulletins for international supply chain partners.
  • Standardized Export Certification Framework deployed across 36 member countries.
  • Biannual Policy Recommendations Whitepaper presented to the General Assembly.
Committee Leadership

Chair & Lead Counsel

Dr. Bernard N'Cho

Dr. Bernard N'Cho

Committee Chair & Standards Lead

Dr. N'Cho brings over 20 years of expertise in international agricultural trade law and food safety compliance. He oversees technical harmonization across GSA's regulatory frameworks and export standard certifications.

Contact Committee Chair
Committee Roster

Technical Working Group Members

Comprising technical experts, quality assurance directors, and trade policy delegates.

Committee Roster Forming

Full member roster nominations are currently underway in coordination with the General Assembly. Confirmed delegates and technical expert profiles will be published here upon final ratification.

Committee Updates Feed

  • New Export Documentation Guidelines Released

    Updated compliance protocols for shipments entering European Union markets effective next quarter.

    May 12, 2026

  • Standardization Workshop Announced

    Virtual technical consultation scheduled with regional testing laboratories across West Africa.

    Apr 28, 2026

Committee Documents & Guidelines

  • Global Shea Quality Standards Manual 2026 PDF • 4.2 MB • Version 4.1
  • EU Import Compliance Whitepaper PDF • 2.1 MB • Updated Q1
Session Summaries

Recent Meeting Outcomes

April 15, 2026 Session

Harmonization of Raw Nut Grading Benchmarks

The committee reviewed moisture content parameters and agreed on updated moisture limits for export-grade raw nuts to prevent quality degradation during maritime transit.

March 02, 2026 Session

Review of Traceability Protocol Drafts

Evaluated pilot test results from supply chain traceability software integrations and formulated recommendations for smallholder cooperative onboarding.