Palm Oil

The oil palm tree is native to West Africa. It is an important tree for forest-dependent communities, their cultures and their economies. However, large-scale oil palm monocultures for industrial production (oil and agrofuels) have been driving deforestation and land grabbing in Southeast Asia. More recently, oil palm monocultures are also driving destruction in Africa and Latin America.

Articles 19 March 2025

What do the struggles of women facing land grabbing in Mexico, Sierra Leone and Indonesia have in common?

In the framework of International Women's Day, WRM is relaunching the podcast “Women’s struggles for land”, with stories from women’s collectives from the coastal area of Chiapas in Mexico, the Malen Chiefdom in Sierra Leone and the Kapuas river area of Central Kalimantan in Indonesia. While their stories appear quite different from each other at first glance, we find many commonalities and a strong connection between them.

Bulletin articles 24 October 2024

PODCAST - Indonesia: Dayak Women Defend the Forest of Tambun Bungai

This article tells the story of a Podcast that is being jointly launched with Solidaritas Perumpuan, a feminist organisation from Indonesia. This espisode is the third in the series “Women’s struggles for land”, produced by WRM together with organisations from different countries. This one tells the story of women's resistance to oil palm plantations, REDD and a large-scale project for food production (Food Estate) in three villages in Central Kalimantan.

Action alerts 10 October 2024

Sign this letter! Urgent Action Alert in support of Nagari Kapa community, West Sumatra, Indonesia

We call groups, organizations and movements to support this letter in solidarity with the farmers defending their territory against the attempts of Wilmar International company to turn their rice fields into industrial oil palm plantations.

Bulletin articles 22 August 2024

The insane expansion of industrial oil palm in the land of Papua, and the resistance struggle of Kampung Bariat

Just like the Dutch colonizers in the past did, the Indonesian government, companies and investors consider the land of Papua to be a vast empty territory, a new frontier for extraction and profiteering However, the land of Papua is not empty, but rather home to hundreds of Indigenous Peoples—including the women and men of Kampung Bariat village, who are struggling to ensure control over their ancestral territory and keep it free of oil palm plantations.

Bulletin articles 22 July 2023

Dayak Women’s Struggle to Protect the Forests in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

This article tells the story of a women group in Kalimantan called “Hurung Hapakat”, which means “Working Together”. Collectively, and against serious repression, they have reclaimed some land from oil palm plantations in order to also reclaim their food sovereignty, dignity and wisdom. And they are not alone.

Other information 11 October 2022

Meeting of the Mesoamerican Network Against Oil Palm in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico

We share the final statement where they express their demands and claims.

Bulletin articles 12 September 2022

From Asia to Africa: Tentacles of Oil Palm Plantations are Squeezing Communities Dry

There is no other crop that has grown faster globally in the last decade than palm oil. This almost uncontrollable expansion leaves a deep trail of destruction and conflicts around its giant areas of plantations from Southeast Asia to West and Central Africa. As companies take over more community land, they also grab the water sources from them.

Bulletin articles 23 March 2022

The Concession Model in Southeast Asia: Coming Full Circle?

Colonial and anti-colonial movements’ have deeply shaped the patterns and impacts of concessions in SE Asia. In some cases, communities have experienced dispossession through land grabs dressed as concessions. In others, concessions are part of a re-concentration of land holding. Either way, the concession model fits well with ideologies of modernisation.

Bulletin articles 17 December 2021

Mesoamerican Meeting of Communities Against Oil Palm

One of the main causes of deforestation in Mesoamerica is the expansion of oil palm monoculture. An exchange of experiences brought together representatives from indigenous and peasant communities to coordinate their resistance.

Declarations 12 October 2021

Declaración de la Red Mesoamericana frente a la Palma Aceitera

Only available in Spanish.

Bulletin articles 27 September 2021

A Dangerous Place for Women. Stories of Indigenous Women Working in Oil Palm Plantations in Papua

Oil palm plantations are one of the most unsafe spaces for women, not only because of their vulnerable working status packed with injustices and precarities, but also because of the potential for sexual violence and harassment. (Available in Indonesian).