The rush for growing land for palm oil has affected African villagers in nations including Liberia and Ghana. (Financial Times)
According to a special report just released by Financial Times” since 2008″ governments from Sierra Leone to the Democratic Republic of Congo have awarded concessions for some 1.5m hectares of land for commercial palm oil plantations” mostly to foreign companies. Hardman and Co” a London capital markets advisory company” says that only a small part of this land is under cultivation. A further 1.3m hectares of land is reportedly being sought.
The signatories have trumpeted the potential boost to economic growth” job creation and even food security. But civil society groups have warned of poor farmers losing their land and livelihoods” and of environmental damage.
View the report.