LANGKAWI, July 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's success in managing oil palmplantations can be passed on to African nations as a significant lesson ineconomic and land development.

Oil palm, a tropical plant which originated from West Africa, was firstplanted as an ornamental plant in then Malaya in 1917.

But since then oil palm has emerged as a major plantation crop inMalaysia. The fruits of this palm are now a major spinner as oil and otherrelated products extracted from them bring in about RM28 billion for thecountry annually.

Malaysia's experience in land development, especially in oil palmplantations through the Federal Land Development Authority or Felda isexpected to be discussed at the three-day Global 2004 LangkawiInternational Dialogue (LID) beginning here Thursday.

Felda's success story is expected to raised by Deputy Prime Minister DatukSeri Najib Tun Abdul Razak on Friday at his "Hands-On Experience inMalaysia" presentation.

With a landbank of 811,140 ha, Felda, which was formed in the early 1970sto open up agricultural estates for mostly landless bumiputeras, currentlyproduces some 20 percent of Malaysia's palm oil.

Felda now manages 275 land schemes nationwide and owns 72 oil palm millsand four refineries in 11 states. It has also transformed into one of thelargest fully-integrated palm oil-based groups in the world.

This government agency has aided in poverty reduction in rural areasthrough job creation and income generation to some 105,000 settlers, whoown about 500,000 ha of Felda's land.

The Felda Group, which reportedly groups 40 wholly or partly-ownedsubsidiaries as well as joint venture companies, has consistently postedabout RM4 billion to RM5 billion in earnings each year.

Its annual net profit, meanwhile, ranges from RM400 million to RM500million per annum from its activities in plantations, agriculturalservices, bulking, shipping and catering.

At least one African country, Sierra Leone, has expressed interest tolearn from Felda's experience in developing land for oil palm plantations.

Its president, Dr Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, who was impressed by Felda schemesin improving the incomes of settlers, invited the agency to assist in apilot project in his country last October.

Saying that the Sierra Leone government would provide 2,000 ha of land forthe project, he added that the Felda settlement concept could also help inthe resettlement of people in his country.

-- BERNAMA