Cameroonian farmers oppose Belgian agribusiness giant with oil palm interests

RBD Palm Oil

Cameroon

Belgium

Published Jul 18, 2023

Tridge summary

Tensions have been rising between local farming communities in Cameroon and agribusiness company Socfin over land disputes and the environmental impact of oil palm plantations. Farmers are opposing the replanting of palm trees on land that they want to use for their own farms to support their families. The issue of land ownership in Cameroon, which stems from outdated legislation, has caused conflicts between villagers and agricultural companies, leading to calls for land dispute resolution through the establishment of customary courts and decentralization of land administration.

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Original content

Tensions between local farming communities in Cameroon and agribusiness giant Socfin are heating up as disputes over land and the environmental impact of oil palm plantations have escalated over the years. Yannick Kenne writes in an article published on the Mongabay portal: “It has been three years since nearly 4,000 residents of Apou, a village in eastern Cameroon, were involved in a conflict with Socapalm, the local subsidiary of the Belgian agricultural giant Socfin, which owns oil palm plantations in a dozen African countries. The essence of the problem lies in the land claims of the population. Farmers are opposed to the company replanting another batch of palm trees in areas located on the outskirts of the village, where the community intends to establish farms to feed their families. “Palm trees grow in front of our houses. Palm trees grow behind our houses. We don't have yards. Planted everywhere. The main problem is the land grab. We want to have space for our families,” ...

Source: Agroxxi