Fruit Crop theft and its impacts on the productivity of oil palm agro-industries in Cameroon

Abstract

Plantation agriculture and especially oil palm requires vast areas of land for their establishment. Rural livelihoods and neighboring agro industries may compete for the same available natural resources such as fertile land and water. This study was designed to assess the impact of indigenous livelihoods on the productivity of neighboring agro-industrial plantations. A total of 250 households located in settlements close to plantations were surveyed in 5 regencies of Cameroon. Farming was the principal occupation for 86% of the family heads with an average farm size of 2.22 hectares. Companies incurred an average loss in annual oil palm Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) production in the range of 20.67% and 77.44%. A strong positive correlation (R=0.644) was observed between production loss and total population of the settlements surrounding the plantation. In like manner, a strong negative correlation (R=-0.966) was observed between plantations’ production loss and the distance from indigenous settlements. There was a strong relationship between socio economic shocks on the local populations and the amount of security stationed in oil palm plantations. Fruit theft might have caused annual FFB loss of 36% - 45% on neighboring agro industrial plantations. It would be preferable for oil palm companies investing in rural proximities to implement strategies that can empower local communities to become economically independent.

Keywords: Praedial larceny, rural livelihoods, sustainability, plantation security, oil palm development.