Community Oil Palm a case study MSc Thesis report

Oil palm is a driver for development and can also be a major source of environmental and community destruction. These opposing tensions are apparent in Liberia as it seeks to use oil palm as a catalyst for growth. Outgrower programs, small farmer-owned and led organisations, are seen as one of the more effective ways to manage the balance between conservation and development. These have been extraordinarily successful in other countries, notably in South East Asia. However, Liberia's unique community governance and land ownership customs and laws mean that these programs cannot be transplanted without careful adaptation. This book, a Master's thesis of the highest quality by Timoty Savour, explores options with detailed rigour. It looks at the unique features of land tenure in Liberia, and then undertakes a thorough and systematic review of options to identify the strengths and weaknesses of these in a Liberian context. It should be read by anybody who wants to gain a better understanding of how to analyse and adapt outgrower models to new and challenging scenarios.