Can Cameroon develop a sustainable palm oil industry?
We are working to demonstrate that Cameroon, one of the most biodiverse countries in Africa and a new frontier for oil palm expansion, can develop a sustainable palm oil industry, avoiding negative environmental impacts.
What is sesame oil?
Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. The oil is one of the earliest-known crop-based oils. Worldwide mass modern production is limited due to the inefficient manual harvesting process required to extract the oil. Oil made from raw seeds, which may or may not be cold-pressed, is used as a cooking oil.
Could new oil palm plantations be established in Cameroon?
Up to 20 million hectares of new oil palm plantations could be established in this region over the next decade. In Cameroon¡¯s forested zone alone, over 1 million hectares is now being targeted by oil palm companies. This cultivation would generate much-needed development in Africa and increase global food supplies.
What impact does palm oil exploitation have on Cameroon?
Nowadays, palm plantations occupy almost 400 000ha shared between agro-industries, elites and small farmers while annual palm oil production increased from 150, 000 tons in 2000 to 413,000 tons in 2018 against a demand that peaked at 1.179 million tons in 2018. This would assess the impacts of the oil palm exploitation in Cameroon.