30/10/2012 (The Guardian Nigeria) - The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (IPPA) – the Nigeria-based public policy think-tank – and leading African economists has accused some French companies of trying to sabotage the efforts of Africa’s small-scale palm oil farmers.

According to the group, investments in palm oil production do not only translate into incomes, but also into social benefits that will help raise communities in Africa out of systemic poverty.

The French companies had alleged that palm oil was unhealthy for consumers and claim that the commodity’s production harms the global environment.

In an open letter signed by nine leading economists and IPPA, the group said that a statement made by the Chief Executives of Casino, System U, Jacquet and Lays was inflammatory and harmful for the development of the palm oil industry in Africa.

The group noted that the untruths leveled by these companies against palm oil production was having harmful effects on small farmers across Africa and Asia, adding that would affect the livelihoods and life chances of hundreds of thousands of low-income farmers.

It stated: “We write 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”.

Speaking on the issue, the Director of IPPA, Thomson Ayodele stated that African agriculture, specifically the growth of palm oil, was resurgent, supported in part by the Agence Francaise de Development.

Ayodele noted that these French corporate interests were 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,” he said.

A letter to these companies stated: “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, recognising the potential for producing food that Africa, and the world, needs.”

“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... Palm 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 S tudents 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; and Mahamadou Sinte, Center for Humane Affairs-CEDAH, Burkina Faso.

Others were 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; and Dr. Ebunlomo Mary Walker, Initiative for Integrated Community Welfare, Nigeria.