Herakles Farms’  land lease is up for renewal next month. Tell the President of Cameroon to respect community lands and biodiverse forests and reject the 99-year lease renewal for a palm oil plantation.

New evidence uncovered by the Oakland Institute shows that the US government may have played a role in Cameroon's extending a concession to American palm oil company Herakles Farms in 2013. 

Cameroonian environmental defender Nasako Besingi has support of local and international communities, despite a controversial conviction by local Cameroonian courts on charges of defamation against a US agri-business company Herakles Farms and it’s local subsidiary, SG-SOC Global.

Photo: Palm oil plantation and processing mill in Malaysia. By Marufish

A coalition of international organizations have denounced Cameroonian authorities’ repression of community leader and environmental defender Nasako Besingi.

The lead up to this summer’s World Cup is already dominating international news with every manager’s squad selection being scrutinized while analysts attempt to predict the tournament’s winner.

Greenpeace has been closely monitoring another world-wide phenomenon: illegal deforestation.

Press release by Greenpeace International

Amsterdam, 27 May 2014 - Illegal and corrupt behaviour by foreign-owned companies engaged in establishing large palm oil plantations not only threatens local communities and forested areas th

Herakles Farms, a US company, has been chopping down miles of dense forest without the full authority to do so -- and in the face of desperate pleas and resistance from local communities.

The palm oil project will also destroy precious chimpanzee and forest elephant habitat if it goes ahead.

The Court of First Instance Limbe has fined the New York based palm oil company US$4.5 Million after a lawsuit filed by former executive Blessed Okoye for his wrongful termination.

Press release by Greenpeace Africa and Oakland Institute:

Greenpeace Africa and the Oakland Institute are alarmed by the decision of the Cameroonian government to award US agribusiness company Herakles Farms a three-year provisional land lease to develop a palm oil plantation in the South West region of the country. The move disproves Herakles Farms’ claim that it had all the necessary permits from the start, and confirms that the company has in fact been operating illegally for more than three years.