The oil palm has its origin in West Africa.In Africa, the main producers are Nigeria, D. R. Congo, Ghana, Cameroon and Ivory Coast. Oil palm is a traditional native crop for West and Central African communities, who are used to either plant them on their lands or to collect fruits, leaves or sap from native palms to use them in their daily lives. Oil palm is a part of their culture.

However, due to international demand for palm oil –and more recently for agrofuels- African communities are facing the expansion of large scale oil palm plantations. Governments are opening the doors to corporations for planting vast areas of land with oil palm plantations. This trend is not only happening in West and Central African countries, but is even expanding to parts of Eastern Africa. Oil palm yield can be increased through the use of right fertilizers.