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.

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Articles 10 May 2024

DRC: President of Tshopo provincial assembly supports demands of communities affected by oil palm company PHC

The president of the Tshopo provincial assembly supports the call of international NGOs demanding to pause a mediation process between the oil palm company PHC and communities affected by its oil palm plantations. Since 2018, the mediation has not addressed the communities’ demand for investigation of the (il)legality of the concessions at the basis of the companies palm oil business but has led to increased the violence and put community rights at the plantation sites in Lokutu and Boteka, in neighbouring Equateur province, at risk.
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Articles 6 May 2024

DRC: Communities in Lokutu once again demanded full reparation for the occupation of their lands by oil palm company PHC

On 1 April 2024, eight representatives chosen by communities from Lokutu, in the Tshopo province of the DR Congo, to represent them in the mediation process with the oil palm company PHC presented a letter rejecting the outcome presented by the mediation.
Articles 4 April 2024

New revelations in a palm oil scandal in the DRC: Urgent actions need to be taken in the mediation process

An alliance of organizations have demanded that European governments pause the mediation process and provide the communities access to the land documents and legal support to defend their interests.
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Articles 9 March 2022

Development banks make shameless exit from a colonial land grab in the Congo

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Publications 5 February 2021

Development Finance as Agro-Colonialism: European Development Bank funding of Feronia-PHC oil palm plantations in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The report details abuses faced by communities affected by industrial oil palm plantations managed by the Congolese company Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC).

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Publications 20 September 2019

Report: Communities in Africa fight back against the land grab for palm oil

A new report on the state of industrial oil palm plantations in Africa shows how communities are turning the tide on a massive land grab in the region.

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Publications 4 April 2019

Booklet: 12 Tactics Palm Oil Companies Use to Grab Community Land

The booklet “Promise, Divide, Intimidate and Coerce: 12 tactics palm oil companies use to grab community land” aims to support communities who want to strengthen their resistance and better prepare themselves to stop corporations from establishing on their lands.
Publications 27 November 2018

Recueil de recettes nutritives, médicinales, artisanales des palmiers à huile traditionnels

Only available in French.

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Publications 3 November 2016

Land conflicts and shady finances plague DR Congo palm oil company backed by development funds

The report is also available in German, in Lingala and Swahili.

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Publications 30 August 2013

Oil palm in Africa: past, present and future scenarios - 2013 update

Governments are opening the doors to corporations for planting vast areas of land with oil palm plantations. This trend is not only happening in West and Central African countries, but is even expanding to parts of Eastern Africa. Large scale oil palm plantations are already causing serious environmental and social impacts in some countries, resulting in loss of community rights over their territories.
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Publications 15 December 2008

Oil palm and rubber plantations in Western and Central Africa: An Overview

Oil palm and rubber plantations occupy extensive areas in many countries in tropical Africa. In spite of their social and environmental impacts, until now they have received scant attention both at the national and international level.