Participants at the multi-sectoral workshop on sustainable oil palm cultivation organized by Solidaridad West Africa on Calabar
Deploying best management practices key to sustaining oil palm cultivation – Expert
[From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar]
Solution-oriented, non-profit organisation, the Solidaridad West Africa, has advocated sustainable oil palm cultivation in Cross River through preservation of the forest reserve of the state.
The group, also experts in sustainable oil palm cultivation, noted that deploying best management practices in its cultivation remains solution to helping in preserving Cross River’s forest reserves.
Programme Manager, Oil Palm Country Management Lead, Solidaridad Nigeria, Mr. Kenechukwu Onukwube disclosed this much in Calabar during a multi-stakeholders capacity building workshop for stakeholders.
Onukwube said oil palm farmers in the state can still increase their production capacity without necessarily tampering with the state forest reserve.
“We can still do oil palm without necessarily getting the rainforest depleted. This is achievable through adoption of best management practices.
“We discourage farmers from pulling and cutting down remnants of Cross River State forest that is left just because they want to cultivate oil palm.
“We have taught them best management practices which if applied can improve their yield.
“We advocate intensification over expansion because of the attendant danger in deforestation”, he said.
He also advocated the use of degraded forest area for cultivation of improved variety oil palm, rather than outright cutting down of trees to regenerate or expand palm oil plantations.
Earlier, Jacob Udida, the permanent secretary, Cross River State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources charged oil palm farmers to sit up, tap from what is learnt and out it into practice.
He thanked Solidaridad West Africa for showing robust interest in the state’s oil palm development and pledged the state government’s continued partnership with Solidaridad West Africa.
