Two scientists make their case for sustainable oil palm expansion

There is a complex paradox surrounding the humble oil palm. It is viewed as a “miracle plant” by the agro-food industry in the Northern hemisphere and farmers in tropical regions, yet denounced as an ecological threat by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) campaigning for the environment or the rights of indigenous people.

In Palms Of Controversies: Oil Palm And Development Challenges, authors Alain Rival and Patrice Levang examine this strange dichotomy. Using facts and field experience, they study common conceptions about the oil palm, examining both its strengths and weaknesses as they analyse its history and future.