African Experts: French Companies Undermine African Small Farmers

- Open Letter to Casino, System U, Jacquet and Lays asks for an end to Anti-Palm Oil Campaign

LAGOS, Nigeria, Oct. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (IPPA), the Nigeria-based public policy think-tank, and leading African economists wrote today to the chief executives of Casino, System U, Jacquet and Lays in support of the legal complaint before the Tribunal de Commerce de Paris by the Inter-professional Association of Oil Palm Industry (AIPH) of Cote d'Ivoire against System U for their inflammatory and harmful campaign against palm oil.  The untruths leveled by these companies against palm oil is having harmful effects on small farmers across Africa and Asia – and it will affect the livelihoods and life chances of hundreds of thousands of low-income farmers.

"Today, African agriculture, specifically the growth of palm oil, is resurgent, supported in part by the Agence Francaise de Developpment. Unfortunately, these French corporate interests are undermining agriculture advancement in Africa, and harming our efforts to alleviate poverty.  It is our hope that these companies will reconsider their campaigns following this letter and the complaint by the palm oil producers of Africa," said Thompson Ayodele, Director of IPPA.

The letter to these companies states, "Investments in palm oil production do not only translate into incomes, but also into social benefits that will help raise communities out of systemic poverty. International companies are investing heavily in development of palm oil in Africa, recognizing the potential for producing food that Africa, and the world, needs."  The letter further states that "Unfortunately, your campaigns are undermining this great success and the main beneficiaries of your campaign are likely to be sunflower producers in Russia and the French rapeseed industry ... [P]alm oil is a healthy, natural, low-cost oil which uses less land than any competing product. It raises incomes for small farmers in Africa and Asia; and it lowers prices for consumers in France. We call upon you, for these reasons, to cease your negative campaign against palm oil."

The letter was signed by leading African economists and industry leaders, including the following:

Hanae Lyas, Association of students for Freedom of Exchange, Economic, Social and Political Society, Morocco

John W. Forje, Centre for Action-Oriented Research on Africa's Development, Republic of Cameroon

Laura John, Herbal Fountain, Sierra Leone

Mahamadou Sinte, Center for Humane Affairs-CEDAH, Burkina Faso

George Ayittey, Free Africa Foundation, United States

Thompson Ayodele, Initiative for Public Policy Analysis, Nigeria

Olusegun Sotola, Initiative for Public Policy Analysis, Nigeria

Paul Adepelumi, African Centre for Advocacy and Human Development, Nigeria

Dr. Ebunlomo Mary Walker, Initiative for Integrated Community Welfare, Nigeria

The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (IPPA), the 2005 award-winning organization, is Nigeria's public policy research institute or think tank. Its major concern is with the principles and institutions that enhance economic development and wealth creation, with particular focus on Africa and Nigeria.

For media enquiries, please contact the author of the report Thompson Ayodele on +234-1-791-0959, +234-80-2302-5079 or thompson@ippanigeria.org.