How ‘country palm’ could help pave the way toward a sustainable palm oil future in Liberia

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How ‘country palm’ could help pave the way toward a sustainable palm oil future in Liberia

Across southeastern Liberia, oil palms grow wild in the forest. Known as “country palm,” the Elaeis guineensis tree is native to West Africa and treasured by local communities. “In the rural areas where there are palms in the wild, if you want to farm in those areas people will say to you, ‘Do not cut down the palm trees!’” says James Otto, program coordinator at the Sustainable Development Initiative, an environmental and community rights NGO b…