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Subject: Visit Unilever Ghana 2007 Authors: Djami Djeddour and Greg Masters
Project Code:
CABI E-UK, VM10023 Date: 5th November 2007
Visited: 25th October -1st Nov. : Unilever Oil Palm Plantations, Ghana2nd Nov. : Oil Palm Research Institute, Kade, Ghana
Executive Summary:
1. Purpose & Objectives:Scoping consultancy to identify the key components of on-going leaf miner management at Unilever’s two nucleus plantations (TOPP and BOPP), as well as their outgrower farms and smallholdings. To capture all local knowledge and information through field visits, interviews with small and large scale producers, to collect ecological, biophysical and sociological data in order to provide informed and practical recommendations for the enhancement of current management measures, with special emphasis on the merits of an IPM package.
2. Background:Endemic to West Africa, the oil palm leaf miner (Coelaenomenodera lameensis) is the most important pest of oil palm in Ghana, with heavy infestations potentially leading to 90% defoliation and consequent reductions in fresh fruit bunch yields of more than 50% over 3 subsequent years (larva and mine, left, with adult inset). Outbreaks are occasional and difficult to predict however and pesticides are costly and often beyond the means of the smaller producers. Unilever has a dominant role in the oil palm industry in Ghana and with severe outbreaks continuing to impact on their business, the need to develop new knowledge, enhance current monitoring and control strategies and identify sustainable management options was recognised as key. This visit to Ghana was therefore undertaken as a fact finding, scoping mission to ultimately produce a final report and recommendations for future research work and implementation in Phase 2 and 3 respectively, for which funders and partners would need to be identified.
3. Summary:Unilever’s operational region lies in the South Central and Western corner of Ghana, with their two roughly equal sized, nucleus estates covering a total 8741 ha. An additional 4455 ha of combined outgrower farms and smallholder estates (where farmers are contracted to grow oil palm on their own land or as cooperatives near or in the estates) are also cultivated. The plantation division comprises TOPP, located in Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira district of the central region of Ghana, and BOPP, located between Benso and Adum Banso in the western region.
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Following an overview of the plantation’s history, operational procedures and leaf miner present and past status from both estate managers, Samuel Avaala and Emmanuel Ahiable, field visits began in earnest at TOPP and included representative outgrower farms and small holdings. The phytosanitary monitoring teams were followed on their daily census and leaf miner hotspots identified and revisited post fogging. Access to hard copies of the daily pest monitoring sheets, monthly summaries and rainfall and yield data from the present day all the way back to 1983 was granted and selectively collated for processing but it was clearly evident that digitisation of the monitoring system would not only enhance the accuracy of the datasets, allow detection of potential trends but also create a less labour intensive activity.
The entire palm oil manufacturing process from seeds and nursery seedlings right through to fresh fruit bunch harvest and oil mill/factory processing was observed, usually with divisional managers at hand to answer questions.
A long and bumpy journey to BOPP (giving us first hand evidence of the poor and flood battered road’s impacts on productivity as we stunt drove round a long line of compromised tanker traffic), allowed equivalent field visits to be made in order to capture any operational, sociological, biophysical and ecological contrasts between the 2 estates.
Discussions were held at a dinner meeting hosted by the managing director, Mr. Neneyo Mate-Kole, with the CEO of Unilever Ghana, Charles Cofie, the supply chain director, Kwaku Boateng, the HR manager, Harrison Adu-Agyei also present. Presentations were made to give an overview of CABI and the CABI-Lancaster University Alliance, with special emphasis on the work previously carried out and currently progressing in Africa and Ghana in particular. Presentations were well received and also gave us an opportunity to showcase some of the CABI products and hand out appropriate flyers and promotional material and manuals. Keen interest in the production of an “oil palm futures” equivalent was expressed by the managing director. ATTN. Julie Flood, Sean Murphy
With both sites providing bungalow accommodation for senior and junior staff, schools, clinics and onsite doctors, police stations and recreational centres, the Unilever community operates under well defined Code of Business principles and were keen to highlight their corporate social and community responsibilities and involvement with respect to employee health and safety, HIV/AIDS awareness and mitigation through their “Life Check Campaign” [ATTN. Sam Page] and commitments to sustainable agriculture with recycled composting, effluent ponds feeding the plantation and self sufficient mills.
OPRI visit (Oil Palm Research Institute)A courtesy meeting was arranged with Mr. Appiah and Mr. Yawson (a CABI fellow who undertook training at Egham in 1998) at the CSIR-Oil Palm Research Institute in Kade. After a long and fraught journey we arrived at OPRI and were met by a slightly bemused and cagey Yawson. As previous advisers/designers of Unilever’s phytosanitary surveillance systems and pesticide use and with their website indicating a great deal of overlap with the CABI mission and future research themes, we were wary of the fact that talks would need to be diplomatic but should also aim to assess the extent of their research on the oil palm leaf miner. Understandably suspicious at first, the meeting progressed well once we were able to reassure them that any future, larger initiatives could include an OPRI partnership and indeed would benefit from in country expertise and 20 year history of work on IPM.
Whilst the dilapidated and deserted state of their offices and labs indicated limited resources and staff, they stated that they do have the capability of running Farmer Field Schools, and this is
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something CABI could consider should an opportunity for capacity building or knowledge transfer arise in Ghana. ATTN. Sarah Simons, Roger Day, GPC
Field ObservationsCape St. Paul Coconut wilt was a frequent and devastating pest of coconut trees as we drove across the southern part of the country. Extent of any economical impact and/or implications for any potential collaboration with the CSIR-Coconut Palm Research Institute could be investigated. ATTN. Julie Flood, GPC
4. Conclusions & Implications for CABI:A very useful trip with key contacts made with Unilever, Ghana management and potential partners at OPRI to potentially support any Phase 2 project emerging from the final report recommendations. CABI and the Alliance’s wide reaching and diverse capabilities were well represented through presentations and promotional material and a number of opportunities for wider CABI/LEC involvement were identified.
5. Publicity & Marketing Opportunities:Oil Palm Futures – potential to revisit the concept note for this as interest was high?Crop Pest Compendium – demonstration given and interest sparked
6. Contact Details:Can be requested from the authors
7. Distribution List: Standard BTORCABI-LEC Alliance Prof. Bill Davies ([email protected]) Prof. Felix Wackers ([email protected])
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