In the first oral presentation of the session titled " cropping system and environment", Wilfred Elegba, talks about Domestication of shea tree (Vitelleria paradoxa C. F. Gaertn) via ex-vitro propagation. He highlights the importance of Vitelleria paradoxa, contributing up to 60 % of women's income in rural sub-Sahelian regions. Providing food (fruits, shea butter), non-food products (soaps, medicine, timber, and charcoal) and protection from erosion and desertification. The main problems hindering domestication are the long juvenile phase (15-20 years), short seeds viability, late shoot emergency, and long tap root (transplanting difficulties). In order to enhance livelihood or rural women in northern Ghana, Mr. Elegba research objective was to develop a protocol for propagation of Shea tree. To fasten germination and seedling growth of the trees, mechanical scarification (fruits were de-pulped and testae removed), chemical treatments (presoaks of seeds in Gibberellic acid-GA3 concentration), as well as thermo-scarification (incubation of seeds) were studied by means of trials. The main find outs were that GA3 and thermo-scarification reduces days to seedling emergency. Testa scarification reduces radicle length compared to the control. Presoaking of seeds in 20% GA3 for 48 hours resultes in the highest mean number of leaves and seedling height.