Building a sustainable future in Ghana
At both Benso Oil Palm Plantations Limited (BOPP) and Twifo Oil Palm Plantations Limited (TOPP), Unilever is committed to best agricultural practices which ensure maximum output with a view to maintaining sustainability and with full regard for environmental considerations and safety of all involved.
The two plantations through their own productions and third party purchases account for a very significant of Ghana’s entire oil palm production.
In 2005 BOPP produced 86 295 metric tones of fresh fruits bunches of oil palm from which 16 012 tonnes of palm oil and 4 677 tonnes of palm kernel were derived. TOPP on its part produced 109 774 metric tones of fresh fruits bunches of oil palm from which 19 926 tonnes of palm oil and 5 468 tonnes of palm kernel were derived.
Apart from the two estates’ own nucleus production, Unilever plantations also operate smallholder/out grower schemes in addition to making substantial purchases of fruits from third party independent producers, through three contracted produce buying agencies.
BOPP’s own nucleus estate covers 4 507 hectares with a smallholder, which covers 1 650 hectares, while TOPP’s is spread over 4 240 hectares with a smallholder cultivation area covering 2 832 hectares. Each smallholder farmer has four hectares of land, with about 600 trees each. Smallholders use land provided by the plantations on which they do not pay rent.
At both plantations, smallholder farmers enjoy fully guaranteed markets, since Unilever Plantations readily purchase their entire produce at pre-determined prices.
Oil palm cultivation – how we do it
The oil palm cultivated at the plantations requires three to four years to mature from field planting till harvesting. Importantly, both plantations minimize waste by using the empty fruit bunches as fertilizer, fiber and shells in boilers to produce steam and power for running the mills, and effluent from their respective oil mills for irrigation and manuring. The plantations do not allow intercropping but deliberately plant vegetation that suppresses weeds and prevent erosion. There are set of programmes and standards which farmers are made to follow to ensure quality and good yield. Fruits cultivated are nurtured with the use of pesticides kept to a minimum. Harvested fruit quality is maintained by harvesting teams led by supervisors and headmen who ensure that only ripe fruits are harvested.
Since 1998, BOPP has been engaged in a replanting exercise conducted in phases. Some 250 hectares are being replanted yearly. A similar replanting exercised commenced at TOPP in 2003, involving between 240 and 260 hectares. At BOPP, the area under cultivation is being expanded using a technique of terracing which enables oil palm trees to be planted on relatively steep slopes.
This technique learnt from Unilever’s plantation in Malaysia, will enable significant expansion of nucleus estate production levels shortly. Terracing leads to soil and water conservation.
BOPP and TOPP respectively are two of the three biggest oil palm plantations in Ghana. Between them they represent models not just for the country’s entire plantation based agriculture.
