While the oil palm is native to Africa, the continent currently imports nearly half of its palm oil consumption, primarily from Southeast Asia. As African nations seek to bridge this production gap to save foreign currency and ensure food security, experts warn against the massive deforestation seen in major producers such as Indonesia and Malaysia. In Africa, 70% of production comes from smallholder farmers whose yields average just 6 tons per hectare, compared to over 20 tons on commercial plantations. Africa shows strong potential to increase palm oil production, with governments and multinational companies increasingly looking to invest in the industry. However, this creates pressure to expand farmland, with the Congo Basin and Cameroon’s ancient rainforests particularly at risk. Meanwhile, experts are advocating for an alternative approach, with sustainable certification programs demonstrating that yields can be improved on existing farmland. Already, one Ghanaian smallholder cooperative boosted output to 21 tons per hectare. Unfortunately, certification costs remain prohibitive without external financial support.
African Business
