Through agriculture, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) production has been essential as source of food, creation of job opportunities, income generation, hence offering potential pathways for reducing rural poverty. In Malawi, oil palm production is an old tradition practiced by the Nyakyusa people, residing in Karonga District.
What is oil palm production in Malawi?
Oil palm production in Malawi is a long-standing tradition among the Nyakyusa people, who reside in the Karonga District. Oil palm production is not just an economic activity; it is also a cultural tradition that has been handed down through generations.
How much palm oil does Malawi export in 2022?
In 2022, Malawi exported $101k in Palm Oil. The main destinations of Malawi exports on Palm Oil were Zambia ($100k) and Niger ($722). In 2022, Malawi imported $38.1M in Palm Oil, mainly from Malaysia ($34.9M), Kenya ($846k), China ($799k), Argentina ($675k), and South Africa ($321k).
Is oil palm production primarily characterized by small-scale farming operations?
It can therefore be concluded that the cultivation of one to two acres of land suggests that oil palm production is primarily characterised by small-scale farming operations. Also, the small land size cultivated for oil palm reflects constraints in resource endowment among rural farmers, including limited access to markets.
Why is there minimal cultivation of land for oil palm?
Inquiring further why there is minimal cultivation of land for oil palm, Gogo, one of the discussants from Mwakaboko village said that there is enough land in this area where farmers can cultivate more oil palm. However, due to market problems, farmers cultivate small pieces of land.
Does oil palm increase the purchasing power of indigenous farmers?
For instance, Alwarritzi et al. (2016), argued that the increase of land cultivated for oil palm has the effect that can be seen from the increase in farmers’ incomes, hence increasing the purchasing power of the indigenous rural farmers, for both primary and secondary needs.