In the dry, open lands of northern Ghana, one tree stands out above the rest: the baobab tree (Adansonia digitata). People call it the “tree of life” because it survives long droughts, stores water in its thick trunk, and offers food, medicine, shelter, and even income!
Keep reading to discover how the baobab supports local communities, (from its juicy fruit and healing leaves to its role in ceremonies and traditions) and why it remains a powerful symbol of hope and strength in Ghana’s savanna.
Baobab: The Tree of Life
It is a symbol of resilience, a source of nutrition, medicine, economic value, and spiritual meaning.
Among the Dagombas, the baobab is called “Tua”, while the Mamprusi refer to it as “Lana”, and the Gonjas as “Yoli”. It is respected and often spoken of with reverence. In local folklore, it is believed that the baobab tree was planted upside down by the gods, which explains its unique appearance: thick trunk, sprawling branches, and sparse leaves.
The tree can live for hundreds, even thousands of years, storing vast amounts of water in its trunk to survive long dry seasons. This unique ability to endure harsh climates makes it a symbol of endurance and survival, values deeply held by communities living in the Northern Ghana region.
Nutritional Powerhouse for Families
One of the most important uses of the baobab tree is its contribution to food security. Every part of the tree is useful! From its leaves and fruit to its seeds and bark.
The Baobab Tree Leaves
The leaves of the baobab tree are rich in iron, calcium, protein, and essential vitamins. In many northern households, the leaves are dried, powdered, and stored to be used in soups and stews.
Known locally as “dakua”or “kukogili”, the leaf powder is often mixed with dawadawa (African locust bean) to prepare nutrient-rich sauces that are eaten with tuo zaafi or yam. During the dry season, when green vegetables are scarce, baobab leaves become an essential food source.
Fruit (Monkey Bread)
The fruit of the baobab is a hard pod filled with a dry, powdery pulp that tastes tangy and citrusy. Locals enjoy it by sucking on the seeds or using the pulp to make drinks. It’s packed with vitamin C — in fact, it contains more vitamin C than oranges. This makes it a powerful immune booster, especially important in rural areas where access to modern healthcare may be limited.
Seeds and Oil
The seeds are also valuable. When roasted, they can be eaten or ground into a paste. More recently, baobab seed oil has gained popularity as a cosmetic product and nutritional supplement due to its high content of healthy fatty acids.
Traditional Medicine and Healing
As one of the most important medicinal plants from Ghana, the baobab tree is considered sacred and healing. Healers and elders use different parts of the tree to treat a variety of ailments:
- Baobab leaves are boiled and used as herbal tea to treat fevers, diarrhea, and fatigue.
- The bark is used to make a decoction that treats malaria, coughs, and infections.
- The fruit pulp is taken as a natural remedy for stomach problems and dehydration.
- Ash from the bark or fruit shells is sometimes used in wound care.
These traditional remedies are still relied upon in many rural communities where access to modern pharmaceuticals is limited. For generations, knowledge of the baobab’s healing powers has been passed down through oral tradition and apprenticeship among healers.
Economic Value and Livelihoods
Beyond its nutritional and medicinal use, the baobab tree plays a vital role in the livelihoods of people in Northern Ghana, especially women.
Many women’s cooperatives have emerged around the collection, processing, and sale of baobab products. The dried leaves, fruit pulp, and oil are packaged and sold in local markets or exported through fair-trade networks. This has empowered many rural women economically, providing them with a source of income and independence.
With the global rise in demand for organic and natural superfoods, baobab has gained international recognition as a “superfruit.” NGOs and development organizations have partnered with local communities to train women in sustainable harvesting practices and value-added processing. These initiatives not only support income generation but also encourage the protection and conservation of baobab trees.
An example of this is the Womens And Oprhans Organisation (WOM) based in Bolgatanga. It is the leading women’s rights organization in Ghana working with others to see a Ghana that promotes, upholds, and protects the rights and dignity of Widows and Orphans, ensuring socio-cultural and economic justice for all.
One of the things they involve women in is the production of Baobab Oil and Baobab powder, which helps them in their livelihoods.
Cultural and Spiritual Importance
The baobab tree also holds spiritual significance in many northern communities. In some villages, old baobab trees serve as community centers, sacred shrines, or places of judgment. Elders and chiefs may gather under the tree to discuss village matters, settle disputes, or conduct traditional rituals.
In traditional beliefs, it is said that spirits dwell in ancient baobab trees, and certain taboos are observed around them. For example, cutting down a baobab tree without spiritual permission is considered a grave offense in many communities. Offerings of kola nuts, libation, or sacrifices may be made at the foot of a baobab during important festivals or ancestral ceremonies.
Children grow up climbing and playing around the baobab, while elders rest in its shade. It’s not unusual to find schools, mosques, and markets built near baobab trees — they offer both shelter from the sun and a sense of communal grounding.
Where Is the Baobab Tree Found?
The baobab tree thrives in the hot, dry landscapes of sub‐Saharan Africa, preferring open savanna where rainfall is low (usually 300–500 mm per year). In Ghana, you’ll most often spot these giants in the three northern administrative regions:
- Upper East Region: Scattered across gently rolling plains and sandy soils, especially near seasonal waterways.
- Upper West Region: Dotting village outskirts and grazing lands, where their deep roots tap into underground moisture.
- Savannah Region: Along farm boundaries and in protected forest reserves, often growing from old termite mounds where the soil is richer in nutrients.
Beyond Ghana, Adansonia digitata ranges from Senegal and Mali in the west, eastward through Burkina Faso and Niger, all the way to Sudan and Ethiopia. Small, isolated baobab populations even appear as far south as South Africa’s Limpopo Province.
Environmental Resilience
Ecologically, the baobab tree plays a crucial role in sustaining the environment. It helps prevent soil erosion, supports biodiversity, and stores water in its trunk, providing a micro-ecosystem for insects, birds, and small animals.
In the face of climate change and desertification, the baobab’s resilience offers hope. It’s a drought-tolerant species that thrives where other trees cannot. In reforestation and afforestation projects across the north, the baobab is often planted to help restore degraded land.
The baobab stands as a testament to nature’s incredible adaptability. As a cornerstone of northern Ghana’s culture, medicine, and environment, the baobab reminds us that resilience is born of balance between people and place, tradition, innovation and survival.
