Wednesday, June 18, 2025
News Upfront
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Economy
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
News Upfront
Home ENVIRONMENT

Cameroon: Why Gov’t Should Publish National Strategy for Palm Oil Production Now

Some Civil Society Organizations in Cameroon have penned a letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development requesting an audience to discuss the eminent need for the publication of the Sustainable National Strategy for Palm Oil Production in the country.

Newsupfront.com by Newsupfront.com
August 31, 2022
in ENVIRONMENT
0
Participants at the workshop in Yaounde

Participants at the workshop in Yaounde

16
SHARES
3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Louvier Kindo Tombe

Yaounde – August 31, 2022, some 38 Civil Society Organizations met in a workshop with the objective of revisiting a draft sustainable policy document for Palm Oil Production in Cameroon elaborated one year ago.

The draft was aimed at encouraging and motivating the government to hasten the process of adopting and implementing the National Strategy to produce Palm Oil.

Discussions centered around the steps taken so far by the government as well as existing challenges.

The workshop was organised by Green Development Advocate (GDA), a civil society organisation.

At the end of the deliberations, the participants opted to take the lobby to a different level by booking an audience with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

It is not the first time that Green Development Advocate is organizing a lobby to press for the adoption of the strategy, but this time, the organization wants things to be done immediately for the interest of the Palm Oil sector, especially small scale producers.

Disturbing Delay in the Publication

Palm oil is the most commonly produced vegetable oil in the world with an estimated 66 million tons annually. In Cameroon, between 2010 and 2014, the national demand for palm oil was around 450.000 tonnes. However, at the moment, the country produces about 230.000 tonnes of crude palm oil, which makes a deficit of 130.000 tonnes.

Palm Oil Production (Credit: NG)
Palm Oil Production (Credit: NG)

To cover the gap, Cameroon has been importing palm oil from Asian countries and neighbouring Gabon, coupled with a proposal from the Rural Sector Development Strategy to increase production to 450.000 tonnes in 2020.

“We are now in 2022, the production of palm oil in the country has not changed positively, the government initiated a move to develop a national strategy to produce palm oil since 2014, but seven years after, the adoption and implementation of the strategy is still expected, I think that is a big problem in developing the sector.” Says Ekane Nkwelle, Project Manager at Green Development Advocate (GDA).

The delay in defining a legal framework covering palm oil production in Cameroon is not only affecting the demand and supply chain. Throughout the country, there is a strong demand for land to establish new palm oil plantations like with CAMVERT in the south region or the extension in existing areas like SOCAPALM in the Sanaga Maritime and Moungo Divisions. This is not without consequences for communities, small scale farmers and the environment.

“We have the impression that we have been abandoned in the desert by the government, small scale farmers have waited for long for incentives to help them boost production to no avail. We are calling on big production companies not to swallow us the small ones in the palm oil sector.” Laments a small scale farmers, Emmanuel Elong, President of Synaparcam, who attended a press conference organised by Green Development Advocate (GDA), last year in Yaoundé.

Recommendations from Civil Society Organisations

Green Development Advocate (GDA), and the other CSOs who drafted the policy are of the opinion that what ever is it that is preventing the adoption and implementation of the government’s national oil palm production strategy, there is urgent need to revisit and complete the process. But owing to the identified and existing challenges, the powers that be need to involve actors from diverse sectors.

“It would be best if it is carried by a multi-stakeholder group to ensure better implementation by the different parties.” Says Ekane Nkwelle, responding to questions from News Upfront.

The CSOs are also calling on the government to create voluntary win-win partnerships between Agro-Industries and small scale producers; facilitate access to finances for small scale producers; promote the regeneration of old plantations using appropriate technologies in order to intensify production on existing plantations without increasing the area under cultivation; improve processing capacity and extraction rates in smallholder oil mills, which are currently very low; establish incentives for small scale producers to take environmental issues into account in their development (REDD+, PES); promote the conservation of high value species and with high carbon stock and promote respect for the rights of residents and workers in Agro-Industries.

GDA strongly believe that with this document and recommendations, a new page could be turned by opening broad discussions which could positively change the narrative.

 

Tags: CameroonGDAPalm oil production
Previous Post

Girls Silencing the Guns in Cameroon

Next Post

Cameroon: Objectives Attained at Vitamin A Supplementation Campaign

Related Posts

Suffocating cities: when urban deforestation triggers chaos
ENVIRONMENT

Suffocating cities: when urban deforestation triggers chaos

April 24, 2025
In the shadow of the forest: the Baka people’s quest for recognition and justice
ENVIRONMENT

In the shadow of the forest: the Baka people’s quest for recognition and justice

April 8, 2025
Stolen heritage: the unending agony of Mbome’s land loss
ENVIRONMENT

Stolen heritage: the unending agony of Mbome’s land loss

March 28, 2025
Ancestral Land Under Siege: Apouh à Ngock’s Desperate Struggle Against SOCAPALM
ENVIRONMENT

Ancestral Land Under Siege: Apouh à Ngock’s Desperate Struggle Against SOCAPALM

March 28, 2025
Cleaning up, building peace: Cameroon’s youth-led initiative
ENVIRONMENT

Cleaning up, building peace: Cameroon’s youth-led initiative

March 19, 2025
Protection des forêts: les enfants mis à contribution
ENVIRONMENT

Protection des forêts: les enfants mis à contribution

March 1, 2025
Next Post
Cameroon: Objectives Attained at Vitamin A Supplementation Campaign

Cameroon: Objectives Attained at Vitamin A Supplementation Campaign

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

BROWSE BY CATEGORIES

  • AMA
  • Business
  • ECONOMY
  • ENVIRONMENT
  • HEALTH
  • News
  • OPINION
  • Sports
  • Travel

BROWSE BY TOPICS

actualité Africa Alamine Ousmane Mey Anglophone Cameroon anglophone crisis Atanga Nji AWIM back to school Blondel Silenou CAMASEJ Cameroon Cameroon news Cameroun Camtel climate change Corona Virus Covid-19 DefyHateNow digital transformation Dion Ngute Elecam elections Fecafoot Gabon GDA Hon Agho Oliver Huawei ICT University IDPs Judith Yah Sunday Judith Yah Sunday Epse Achidi Minepat News Nigeria Pa Tom Paul Biya Paul Tasong PM Dion Ngute President Paul Biya prof Victor Mbarika UN UNDP UNICEF WPFD YIBS

Recent News

  • ATIDI tiendra son Assemblée générale annuelle en Angola, célébrant 25 ans d’impact en tant qu’assureur multilatéral africain
  • Angola to Host ATIDI’s 25th Annual General Meeting as Africa’s Multilateral Insurer Marks 25 years of Impact
  • SPIEF 2025: A Forum of Opportunities for African Business

Category

  • AMA
  • Business
  • ECONOMY
  • ENVIRONMENT
  • HEALTH
  • News
  • OPINION
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • Contact
  • Environment
  • Farmpower encourages aspiring farmers on modern farming techniques for commercial benefits
  • Log In
  • Member Directory
  • My Account
  • My account
  • My Profile
  • News Upfront – We Break Beyond the Breaking News
  • PAP party gives self a pass mark for the past one year
  • Reset Password
  • Shop
  • Sign Up

© 2020 News Upfront - Website Designed by SoftestWeb Inc.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Economy
  • Opinion

© 2020 News Upfront - Website Designed by SoftestWeb Inc.