In 2008, All for Africa launched Palm Out Poverty (POP), All for Africa’s flagship campaign.   The Palm out Poverty program will provide significant long-term sustainable economic impact while also serving as a foundation for considerable continent wide benefits relating to poverty reduction, illness prevention and education. POP is being developed, built and managed with sustainable and environmentally sound practices and policies. The project is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and is committed to promoting local community engagement.

Working with Herakles Farms, All for Africa is planting one million oil palm trees on approximately 17,000 acres of land in West Africa.  Once mature, the trees will yield approximately 300,000 barrels of sustainable crude palm oil each year for the next 35 years.

As well as providing direct positive local and regional impact, the Palm Out Poverty Initiative is expected to create $700 million dollars in long term funding generated through the production and sale of palm oil. These funds will be utilized to develop programs and build capacity for community level projects in clean water, community health, education, energy, micro-financing and skills training/livelihood creation.

All for Africa’s start-up cost is $20 per tree. The cost from the planting of the seedling, until the tree reaches oil-producing maturity (3 years) is approximately $70 per tree and includes the seeds, fertilizer, planting, growing and harvesting. Herakles Farms is subsidizing each tree at approximately $50 per tree, while All for Africa is raising the funds through donations for the initial share of the unsubsidized cost of $20 per tree.

WHY PALM OIL?

Both increasing population growth and production of bio-fuel are causing vegetable oil consumption to grow faster than supply and palm oil is best positioned to supply this demand.
Because of the oil palm’s high oil yield and its versatility, it is the world’s main source of vegetable oil and fats.
It is an essential input in food, soap, personal care production, and fuels.
Oil palm is one of the most efficient crops, producing the highest energy output:input ratio of all other vegetable oil crops. Required low input of fertilizer, fuel and pesticides, and is not genetically modified. It requires only 0.26 hectares of land to produce one ton of oil while soybean, sunflower and rapeseed require 2.22, 2 and 1.52 hectares, respectively, to produce the same.
Palm Oil has a superior health profile (lacks trans-fats, non-genetically modified, potential to lower cholesterol, and an abundance of anti-oxidants).
West Africa has climatic conditions that are ideal for the native plant and an abundance of previously logged land ready for cultivation, which will create agricultural development and economic growth in West Africa.

LONG TERM REGIONAL AND CONTINENT WIDE IMPACT

Avoids the here today, gone tomorrow problem of philanthropic funding – POP will generate an estimated $700 million dollars in funding for program development and capacity building for programs in clean water, community health, education, energy, micro-financing and skills training/livelihood creation.
A donation to POP will is a philanthropic investment that is expected to increase in value 35 times over the next 35 years. A $500 donation is expected to generate $17,500 in long term funding for crucial nonprofit initiatives.
Revenue from palm oil sales will allow for program development and capacity building across the continent – all with a focus on creating local and regional economic independence.
Currently successful programs can now focus building capacity and expanding mission, rather than fundraising.
POP trees will absorb more than 28,000,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every single year.
POP trees are contributing to the productivity of Africa’s uncultivated farmland. About 60% of the world’s potential farmland that is uncultivated is in Africa alone.
Herakles Farms/Palm Out Poverty Initiative is a member of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil. POP trees are setting a global example of sustainable and ethical palm oil production.

POSITIVE DIRECT LOCAL/REGIONAL IMPACT

Hiring local labor – total project will create 700 agricultural jobs;
Infrastructure development to include power generation, processing mills, and repair facilities;
Large scale infrastructure development to include road, bridges and ports;
Social infrastructure development including schools, medical centers, recreational facilities, employee housing and clean water;
Small-and-medium-sized-enterprise (SME) development in local and regional economies;
Lower local cost of processed crude palm oil and palm kernel oil – currently there are few large-scale producers to meet local/regional demand for this food staple;
Best practices for environmental impact and resource efficiency taught to neighboring smallholder farmers and workers;
Smallholder model to support local farmers, assisting in building scale, increasing yields, improving sustainability best practices and assuring a community buyer at a fair rate;
Project includes local High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) and Critical Habitat preservation.