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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Women_Cameroon_Afrise_nov2023
Multimedia 19 December 2023

Cameroon: Testimony of women who reclaim their land back

The Afrise women's association launched an international petition to stop the replanting of oil palm monocultures around their homes and over the grave sites of their ancestors. Here we share the testimony of the president of Afrise.
Ataque de empresa Brasil Bio Fuels (BBF) a indígenas
Multimedia 11 August 2023

Public note about attack to Tembé´s leaders

Tembé indigenous leaders shot by private security forces (only available in Portuguese).
podcastChiapasB266
Multimedia 28 July 2023

Podcast: Women of the Chiapas coast facing oil palm

In the state of Chiapas, in southern Mexico, women's organizations are resisting the advance of a monoculture crop that is invading their lands and bringing scarcity and water pollution.
podcast sierra leone
Multimedia 22 March 2023

Podcast: Testimonials from women affected by SOCFIN plantations in Sierra Leone

Socfin oil palm plantation company has meant violence and oppression in several African countries. Sierra Leone is no exception.
uganda video
Multimedia 14 September 2022

Uganda: Resisting industrial oil palm plantations

In the Buvuma Islands, in Uganda, communities are resisting the expansion of industrial oil palm plantations.
Cover nine reasons
Publications 19 July 2021

Nine Reasons to Say NO to Contract Farming with Palm Oil Companies

Why do peasant farmers lose out when they produce for the palm oil industry? A publication based on experiences from Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

compilacion indonesia
Publications 6 April 2021

Attacks on Forest-Dependent Communities in Indonesia and Resistance Stories

WRM Bulletin Compilation. Available in English and Indonesian.

cover develop finance agrocolonialism drc
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).

Multimedia 24 November 2020

Video: Violence and sexual abuse against women in oil palm plantations MUST END

The video “NO to violence against women and girls living in and around oil palm plantations” denounces the violence against women in West and Central Africa whose lands have been invaded by industrial oil palm plantations.
Publications 19 February 2020

Communities facing Zero Deforestation pledges: the case of OLAM in Gabon

Download the publication.

cover_alliance
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.

cover 12 tactics
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.