Oil palm expansion resulted in 2 million hectares (Mha) of forest loss globally in 2000–2010. Despite accounting for 24% (4.5 Mha) of the world’s total oil palm cultivated area, expansion dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa have been overlooked. We show that in Southwest Cameroon, a top producing region of Africa, 67% of oil palm expansion from 2000–2015 occurred at the expense of forest. Contrary to the publicized narrative of industrial-scale expansion, most oil palm expansion and associated deforestation is occurring outside large agro-industrial concessions. Expansion and deforestation carried out by non-industrial producers is occurring near low-efficiency informal mills, unconstrained by the location of high-efficiency company-owned mills. These results highlight the key role of a booming informal economic sector in driving rapid land use change. High per capita consumption and rising palm oil demands in sub-Saharan Africa spotlight the need to consider informal economies when identifying regionally relevant sustainability pathways.

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-The present study is an evaluation of the current strengths and weaknesses of the oil palm smallholder sector in Cameroon, or more precisely of the non-industrial sector, as some holdings owned by elites can reach hundreds of hectares. A randomized sample of oil palm producers was chosen after categorization into elites, migrants, natives and company workers (past and present) in four palm oil production basins in the Southern part of the country. 176 semi-structured questionnaires were administered. The production basins included: Eseka, Dibombari, Muyuka, and Lobe. Results from the study revealed that elites owned larger average areas (41.3 ha) than the other categories of oil palm producers. All categories recorded low average plantation yields, ranging from 7 to 8.4 t FFB/ha/year (with minimum yields of 3 t FFB/ha). Though the elites showed better bargaining power and higher income, all categories of producers faced similar problems such as the high cost of inputs with no governmental subsidies, the difficulty in accessing loans with low interest rates and the use of rudimentary working tools. Despite such weaknesses, the sector also demonstrates some strengths such as the ability to impose little threat to the primary forest when compared to agro-industrial plantations, the availability of a domestic and sub-regional market for red palm oil, the availability of artisanal mills with low extraction rates although able to generate more income for the producers. There is a need for governmental policies that will strengthen partnership between small and medium oil palm producers and agroindustries as it was the case during the Fonader period, in order to converge with the poverty reduction strategy intiated by the government of Cameroon. Keywords:Oil crops / family farming / Fonader / poverty alleviation Résumé -Forces et faiblesses du secteur des petits producteurs d'huile de palme au Cameroun. Cette étude propose une évaluation des forces et faiblesses du secteur des petits producteurs d'huile de palme au Cameroun, ou plus précisément du secteur non-industriel, puisque certaines exploitations appartenant à des élites peuvent atteindre plusieurs centaines d'hectares. Un échantillon aléatoire de producteurs d'huile de palme a été choisi après une caté-gorisation en élites, migrants, autochtones et employés des compagnies (passés et présents) dans quatre bassins de production d'huile de palme dans le sud du pays. 176 questionnaires semi-structurés ont été traités. Les bassins de production étudiés sont ceux de : Eseka, Dibombari, Muyuka et Lobe. Les résultats de l'étude ont révélé que les élites possédaient en moyenne de plus grands domaines (41,3 ha) que les autres catégories de producteurs d'huile de palme. Toutes les catégories ont des rendements moyens faibles, compris entre 7 et 8,4 t FFB/ha/an (avec un rendement minimum de 3 t FFB/ha). Bien que les élites montrent un meilleur pouvoir de négociation et un revenu plus élevé, toutes les catégories de producteurs sont confrontées aux mêmes difficulté...

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African farmers are currently grappling with potential control measures for the invasive fall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda), which has recently emerged as an important economic pest that is ravaging maize fields across the continent. We evaluated the efficacy of the West African black pepper extract and beans intercropping systems as viable FAW control measures and the implication on maize yields. The experiment comprised five treatments (control-no input, dwarf beans intercrop, climbing beans intercrop, West African black pepper extract, and insecticide) with three replications each. FAW severity was assessed at three to seven weeks after planting (WAP), while maize infestation was assessed at seven WAP. FAW severity increased significantly (P<0.05) across WAP for the control and dwarf beans intercrop, with the highest at four and six WAP, respectively. FAW severity also differed (P<0.05) significantly across treatments at four to seven WAP, with the lowest recorded in the extract of West African black pepper (Piper guineense) and the highest in control treatments. Maize infestation ranged from 13 to 93%, with the lowest in the West African black pepper extract and synthetic insecticide, followed by both dwarf and climbing beans intercrops and then the control. The maize yield determined at physiological maturity ranged from 2.2 to 6.3 t ha−1 across treatments and differed significantly, with the highest in the West African black pepper extract and synthetic insecticide, followed by both the dwarf and climbing beans intercrops, as compared to the control. Overall, the West African black pepper extract and beans push cropping systems demonstrated efficacy as viable sustainable alternative control measures for the invasive fall armyworm in maize fields.

In this study we investigate whether the increasing investment in smallholder oil palm plantations that contributes to deforestation is motivated by financial gains or other factors. We evaluate the financial viability of smallholder farmers selling fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) to intermediaries or agro-industrial companies with mills, or processing the FFBs in artisanal mills to produce palm oil. We use data collected in four oil palm production basins in Cameroon and carried out a life cycle assessment of oil palm cultivation and CPO production to understand financial gains. We use payback period (PBP), internal rate of return (IRR), benefit cost ratio (BCR) and net present value (NPV) for 1 ha of oil palm plantation over 28 years at a base discount rate of 8% to asses viability. Our results show that smallholders make more money processing their FFBs in artisanal mills to produce CPO than selling FFBs to intermediaries or agro-industrial companies with mills. The sensitivity analysis show that land ownership is the single most important parameter in the profitability of investment in palm oil cultivation and trade. In addition to land cost, smallholders suffer from borrowing at high interest rates, high field management costs, while recording low on-farm FFB/processing yields. To improve the financial viability of smallholders investing in oil palm cultivation, measures are needed to encourage them to access land, get loans at reduced interest rates, reduce the cost of field management, adopt good agricultural practices to improve on-farm FFB/processing yields, as well as to generate additional revenue from the sale of other products.

-The present article explores the origin and changes in

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