Palms

The impacts of oil palm plantations have been widely ignored, and given widespread promotion of these plantations throughout the tropics, the World Rainforest Movement decided to bring together research and local struggles in this book, aimed as a tool for action. Presented are three representative cases for each continent -- Cameroon, Ecuador and Indonesia -- as well as a general overview and examples from other countries. 

Concerns about food and energy security, coupled with increasing returns from agriculture, have increased interest in agricultural investments in developing countries. Public debates about 'land grabbing' have questioned the socio-economic impacts of large-scale land acquisitions. There is new interest in business models involving collaboration between companies and communities.

This publication provides rich information on Amazon fruits and communities, illustrating how local peoples have adopted and adapted to the plant kindgom around them to distil vital nutrients, medicines and other products fundamental to their survival; it also shows how scientific information can be presented in an innovative and more inclusive way, one that can be adapted accordingly by other actors worldwide.

Palms, belonging to the Arecaceae family, are among the most common plants in tropical countries and provide a vast assortment of products ranging from food to construction materials, fibre and fuel. Tropical palms, originall published in 1998, has been updated in 2010 to include the most recent information and developments regarding the conservation status and use of various tropical palm species.

Increasing demands on the world's natural resources pose a serious threat to palm biodiversity. This action plan identifies the most threatened palm species in order to present recommendations for conservation measures that cater to their specific requirements, and to provide strategic guidelines for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of the many palms that provide food, construction material, and an important source of revenue for many people.