New Project to Increase Palm Oil Production in Cameroon and Nigeria | Voice of America - English
Oil palms are grown throughout West and Central Africa, but the development of the palm oil industry has been slow, despite a thriving market.  A project sponsored by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization is about to change the palm oil industry in Cameroon and Nigeria.  Voice of America English to Africa Service reporter Divine Nytaryike in Douala, Cameroon says palm oil is a common ingredient in traditional dishes in West and Central Africa.
There are several reasons for the low output: obsolete production equipment, agingplantations and little access to technology and financing. Cameroon produces 160,000 tons of palm oil ayear. That's far below demand, which is expected to reach 220,000 tons by 2010. This year, Cameroon imported 50,000 tons of palm oil. Insome parts of Cameroon, small farmers must crush palm fruits in unhygienicstone pits, from which the reddish oil is filtered. The quality is often notthe best and the risk of contamination high. The United Nations Organization for Industrial Development[UNIDO] is overseeing a project to boost sustainable palm oil production inCameroon and neighboring Nigeria. The two countries will provide the financialsupport for the five million dollar project, which will span four years. Thecoordinator is Chief Michael Mbi Oruh, the technical adviser in Cameroon'sMinistry of Industries, Mines and Technological Development. He says the goalis to help the countries use palm oil to generate income. He told the NigerianPress Agency that Cameroon will give half a million dollars, and Nigeria will give $800,000, to kick off theproject. The money will be used to train farmers in new and moreefficient ways of processing palm oil. It will also buy planting material andequipment. UNIDO will provide expertise in training and in buying the equipmentand high quality plants for the old plantations. A commission is now laying thegroundwork for the start of the project in southwest Nigeria. The project will try to help small farmers gain control of85 percent of the palm oil market in West and Central Africa. The farmers areenthusiastic. They have been told that plantations, some more than 25 yearsold, will be re-planted with better quality seeds. Experts say the project is a hugeboost for the palm oil sector in the region. Cameroon and Nigeria have theright tropical climate and rich soils. Yields will eventually increase, thequality of the product will improve and production costs will drop, leading tomore income for producers. It is estimated the project willcreate a thousand new jobs, and maybe even more ? once investors beginning marketingby-products from the palm oil.