Cameroon creates national platform to govern the sustainable development of palm oil

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The Republic of Cameroon has committed to the long-term governance of the sustainable development of palm oil with a national platform. The platform, PLANHUPAD, was created to ensure the continuing viability of commitments made as part of the African Palm Oil Initiative.  

H. E. Hele Pierre, the Minister of the Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development, signed the decision to create the platform on July 21, 2021. It is a framework for collaboration and consultation and to align all stakeholders in the palm oil sector.  

Key activities and commitments include: 

• To promote the reduction of deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) 
• To encourage all stakeholders to consider human rights issues, environmental and social safeguards and ensure the environmental, social and economic viability of the palm oil sector 
• To contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of the national strategy for the sustainable production of palm oil 
• To ensure capacity building and institutional development 
• To mobilise climate finance and other financial support 
• To ensure both social and environmental issues are taken into account in palm oil development 
• To advocate in the context of land reform and land use planning reform processes 
• To support government to meet national demand and stop importing of palm oil 
• To mobilise finance for TFA-APOI national action plan 

The national platform’s General Assembly is made up of representatives from government, private sector, smallholder associations, NGOs, civil society organisations, as well as technical and finance partners. 

The Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA) Africa Palm Oil Initiative (APOI) aims to ensure that Africa’s palm oil sector develops in a way that is environmentally and socially sustainable, protecting Africa’s rich tropical forests, whilst protecting smallholder livelihoods and bringing economic benefits to the region.  

“Cameroon joined the African Palm Oil Initiative in 2016 to begin the work to define national principles, a national action plan and establish a national platform,” said Abraham Baffoe, Proforest Africa Director. “We’re delighted to see the official Decision signed and look forward to engaging with the new national platform in our technical capacity, with many other strong partners.” In Cameroon APOI is facilitated by Dr Louis Defo from Proforest with close support from WWF and Rainforest Alliance.  

The APOI brings together partners from ten palm-oil-producing countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Edo State in Nigeria, Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone. The individual country platforms are an essential pillar to drive forward and strengthen the collaborative implementation of sustainable palm oil development at national level.