ABSTRACT:
The global demand for palm oil, an economically important product in tropical regions, continues to rise rapidly. To meet this demand, there is a focus on expanding oil palm production, particularly in Latin America and Africa. However, in West and Central Africa, biophysical constraints, such as sub-optimal climate conditions and poor management practices, limit yields. Socioeconomic issues, including a lack of skilled labour and disorganised industry expansion, further hinder production. Opportunities for intensification are thus considerable in West Africa, where fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yields are ~56% lower than those of major producers in Southeast Asia and ~47% lower than in Latin America. This study reviewed opportunities for yield intensification in oil palm cultivation, using Ghana as a case study, while considering both agronomic and socio-economic factors. Findings suggest that palm oil production increases can arise from increasing the fruit supply from smallholders, who are the dominant producers in Ghana (~95%) and promoting specific practices for yield intensification, such as improved harvesting and nutrient management. Increasing average yields to a biophysically achievable 21 t ha–1 could significantly boost national FFB production, potentially eliminating the need for additional land, and meeting Ghana’s current annual demand for crude palm oil without expansion. Yield intensification strategies could therefore underpin effective strategies for agricultural intensification in Ghana and the broader West-Central Africa region. Achieving this requires collaborative efforts between industry stakeholders, including plantations, smallholders and government intervention.
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