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.

Bulletin articles 15 November 2018

Are FSC and RSPO accomplices in crime? Jari Florestal and Agropalma's Unresolved Land Question in the Brazilian Amazon

For years, WRM has been warning many certified monoculture plantations in Brazil have been established on land for which titles were obtained fraudulently. This article discusses the case of two companies that operate in the Brazilian Amazon: Agropalma and Jari Florestal.

Bulletin articles 29 April 2018

Congo Basin: The coming storm

How secrecy and collusion in industrial agriculture spell disaster for the Congo Basin’s rainforests.

Other information 13 July 2016

West African women defend traditional palm oil

Bulletin articles 13 October 2015

Brazil– mining company VALE promoting oil palm in Pará: Impacts of the "green economy"

Bulletin articles 7 May 2014

Brazil – Discourse of “innovation” contrasts with a reality of life in conditions akin to slavery for workers employed by one of Agropalma´s suppliers

Bulletin articles 11 September 2013

Nigeria: Wilmar, RRDC, and the Calaro/Ibiae Oil Palm Estates

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.