Facts sheet Dzomi/Zomi Case Study

Description of the Product

Dzomi or Zomi is a variant of red palm oil which is produced using traditional methods
unique to the Volta region and handed down through generations. It is used for cooking
locally and abroad in African cuisines. It is usually produced by individual women or in
groups at the village level. It is deep red and viscous semi-solid at ambient temperature
locally, has distinct aroma, good taste and has longer shelf life compared with ordinary red
palm oil.

Legal Protection of the name

The product name is not currently protected by any form of Intellectual
Property Legislation. However the business entities who export the
Dzomi/Zomi do so under different names. Whether they are registered
trademarks this needs to be investigated.

Name/s by which the product is known

The product name Dzomi/Zomi, is an Ewe word coming from two words Dzo
which means fire and ami meaning oil. On the international market it is sold
under different brand names depending upon which business entity is
exporting or disturbing it. Some of the brands are:

Adun Foods Zomi oil

Juliamco Brand Zomi Fresh
Praise Brand
Jumbo Zomi Oil
Tropical Sun Zomi Palm oil

Ghana Nima Zomi Palm Oil

Ghana Best Zomi Plam Oil
Omni Zomi Red Palm Oil
Fresh Mama Palm oil
1

Main Markets

Local markets across the country

Sub region
Europe (mainly UK, Germany, Netherlands and the US)

From what region does it come from? Are the geographical

lines clear?

The production of Dzomi/Zomi originated from in the Volta Region.

Some of the principal areas Dzomi is produce in the region include
Kpedze, Dzolo, Kpeve, Dodze and Denu. These are towns in once
vibrant oil palm belt in the Volta Region. (Drawing of Volta Region
and the said towns)

Who (primary producers, processors) is involved in the

production of this product? Can you draw the supply chain?

The stakeholders in the supply chain are:

Producers of Palm Fruits ( Private farmers and harvesters of palm

fruits)
Producers of Dzomi/Zomi (Local women who work in groups or as
individuals)

Buyers of Dzomi/Zomi ( Local market women for the local market,

Exporters (Agents of repackaging companies, individual merchants))
Exporters ( Repackage Dzomi into bottels under different brands)
Distributors (Shops who sell branded Zomi/Dzomi this is for the
international market, eg UK and Europe)
Consumers ( Local and external)

Supply Chain

Producers of Palm Fruits (Private

farmers and harvesters of palm
fruits)

Consume
rs (Local
markets)

Producers and Processors of

Dzomi /Zomi
(Individual women
and cooperatives )

Local market women

Buyer s of Dzomi/Zomi
individual merchants

Internat

Other ional

Exporters

market
s

Distributors(Shops who sell branded

Dzomi/Zomi on the international

Consumers

Is there an organization who has /can ask for the protection

of the name? Please describe?

Currently, there is no such organization.

Are there any support organizations and what is their role?

There is no clearly defined organization providing support. Some business

entities provide financial support.

Potential organization that could provide support include:

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is the lead agency and
focal point of the Government of Ghana, responsible for developing
and executing policies and strategies for the agriculture sector
within the context of a coordinated national socio-economic growth
and development agenda.

Ministry of Trade and Industry

The Ministry of Trade and Industry is the lead policy advisor to

government on trade, industrial and private sector development
with responsibility for the formulation and implementation of
policies for the promotion, growth and development of domestic and
international trade and industry.

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development exists to

promote the establishment and development of a vibrant and well
resourced decentralized system of local government for the people
of Ghana lo ensure good governance and balanced rural based
development.

National Board for Small Scale Industries

The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) is a non-profit public
sector organisation under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special
Initiatives and came into being in 1985. NBSSI has its Head Office in Accra,
secretariats in all the regional capitals and Business Advisory Centres (BACs) in
one hundred and ten(110) district capitals. Services offered by the NBSSI include
business development services for micro and small enterprises.
Micro and Small Enterprises are the bone of a country's economic development.
The government of Ghana in an effort to ensure the growth of these enterprises
established the National Board for Small Scale Industries by Act 434 of 1981 and
is mandated to promote the growth and development of Micro and Small
Enterprises (MSEs).

Local District Assembly

This is the local authority responsible for local administration of the locality

Registrar Generals Department

The Government department responsible for the administration of the industrial
property legislations in Ghana. The Department is responsible for geographical
indications.

Ghana Export Promotion Authority

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) is the National Export Trade
Support Institution of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) responsible for the
facilitation, development and promotion of Ghanaian exports.

GEPA was established by Act 396 in 1969 as an agency of the Ministry of

Trade and Industry with the mandate to develop and promote Ghanaian exports. Our
focus has primarily been to diversify Ghanas export base from the traditional Gold
and other unprocessed minerals, Cocoa Beans, Timber Logs and Lumber.

Ghana Standards Authority

The GSA is the National Statutory Body responsible for Metrology,

Standards, Testing, Inspection and Certification.

Ghana National Association of Farmers & Fisherman (GNAFF)

This is the umbrella organization for farmers and fisherman and it is

currently implementing projects that would offer services to
farmers. They would be a key stakeholder in developing
Geographical Indications.

CSIR-Oil Palm Research Institute (CSIR-OPRI)

This is one of the 13 research Institutes of the Council for Scientific

and Industrial Research engaged in the research into Oil Palm and
other related issues.

CSIR-Oil Palm Research Institute (CSIR-OPRI)

This is one of the 13 research Institutes of the Council for Scientific

and Industrial Research engaged in the research into Oil Palm and
other related issues.

Export Development and Agricultural Development (EDAIF)

What are the special characteristics of the product and

how are these linked to their origin?

Dzomi/Zomi is a variant of palm oil which has distinct flavour and

aroma and is produced by women as individuals or in groups. It done
by following strict protocols which are to be observed right from the
harvesting of the palm fruits, to boiling of the palm fruit, extraction of
the palm cream through boiling of the palm cream to get the Zomi.. It

produced mainly from the local oil palm (Dura variety ) which for
decades has been the source of palm oil well before modern methods of
oil palm cultivation were introduced to Africa in the second quarter of the
20th century.

Origin: The origin of Dzomi is the from the oil palm belt of the
Volta Region, Togo and to some extent Benin.

The Human Factor: In this case, traditions, know-how and

skills, often handed down from generation to generation). After
harvesting the fresh palm fruit Dzomi/Zomi is processed as follows as
indicated in the next page.

Processing of Dzomi/zomi

Boiling of Palm Fruits (2 hours)

Pounding
boiled palm
in
Mixing of of
pounded
palm fruits
fruit with
nd st
2Zomi
stage
boiling
of
palm
oil
(palm
the
receptacle
(2
and
half
hours)
take
off
fire
and
left
to
cool
11st
stage
boiling
of
palm
oil
(get
1
cold
water
and
skimming
to
Add
solution
stage
and
palm
allowing
oil
obtained
to
boil
st
cream
1
stage
oil)
(
2
to
2
and
for
2
hours
and
then
poured
into
and
half
palm
( 3 hours)
and
hours)
for
straining
30 cream
minutes
oil from
palmhalf
chaff
for