In the Niger Delta, women are processing palm oil, instead of crude, to provide for their families. However, the environmental impacts of palm oil plantations have some pleading for caution.
At a time when a huge number of oil palm firms are accused of grabbing indigenous lands, Indonesian authorities say nothing about the need for companies to obtain free, prior, and informed consent of communities before operating in their territory.
There is now a set of guidelines for palm oil companies to use when implementing their commitments to address the deforestation associated with their operations.