To Cut Down Oil Palm Farmers’ Losses, PIND Foundation Introduces the Malaysian Knife

In the 1960s, Nigeria was the leading producer of palm oil. Though the country still remains one of the largest producers, it now meets domestic demands through imports. The Niger Delta region accounts for roughly 57% of the palm oil produced in Nigeria.

 

As Nigeria’s population continues to grow, there is an increase in demand for palm oil to meet the needs of individuals and industries. To meet demands, farmers will have to work harder to increase production.

 

As of 2018, Nigeria is the fifth largest producer of palm oil in the world with a production of 970,000 MT annually while the consumption rate is 1,400,000 MT annually2. The 430,000 MT is mainly substituted by importation from neighboring countries such as Benin and Ghana.

Harvesting palm fruits can be time-consuming and labour-intensive as the traditional varieties of palm oil trees are tall, prompting the need for climbers.

 

Climbers are becoming more expensive and as a result, a large amount of fruits is lost as it rots on the trees. Sometimes climbers fall from the trees and break bones. Due to this, climbers become scarce. Harvesting palm trees’ Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) is one of the major constraints of the oil palm industry in Nigeria as 50% of bunches are wasted by climbers in the course of pruning.

 

“One thing about palm is that if you leave the bunches there without harvesting them, you are damaging the palm,” says Festus Fyalakwe, an oil palm farmer in Benin.

 

“We had the challenge of snake biting while climbing to harvest. We run when we see a snake. As a result, we fail to harvest. Also, during the raining season, it is difficult to climb the trees because they are slippery. The challenges of climbing are much.”

 

Moses Monday had worked with PRESCO Plc and the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) and has been a harvester for 15 years. He said he used to climb but he stopped because of the risk associated with it. “The challenge of climbing is falling and one can get bitten by a snake. That is what I am afraid of.”

 

In order to address the challenge in harvesting palm fruits to improve yield and to maximize profit, Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) introduced the Malaysian Knife (MK) in the Niger Delta region to harvest palm fruits from tall trees, eliminating the need for climbers.

 

PIND did not only introduce the technology to the farmers and harvesters, but they also demonstrated to them on how to use the knife and the best management practices to improve yield and maximize profit.

 

Fyalakwe harvests every two weeks. With the use of climbers, he found it difficult to meet his targets. He was introduced to the technology and now, he harvests every two weeks with the use of the Malaysian Knife.

 

“I harvest every two weeks and I maintain the frequency. But without a knife, it may last for two months and all the palms will be getting rotten.”

“Two weeks frequency is the best to every palm plantation and with the use of the knife, it makes the work quicker and faster. Other farmers should learn how to use the knife. The knife cuts into pieces any snake that I come across in the course of harvesting. I don’t even climb while using the knife, I stand and harvest.

 

“We do this to advise people not to climb up in cutting fruits to avoid snake bites. “A situation where a climber wants to climb a tree to harvest the fruits before a climber climbs a tree, the Malaysian knife has harvested more than 10 bunches. If a climber with a rope can get 100 bunches a day, someone who is using the Malaysian knife can harvest 300 bunches a day”, he concluded.

 

By 2018, 361 improved harvesting technology have been sold through PINDs intervention. Now farmers earn additional NGN 298, 747 from patronizing the improved harvesting technology from additional fresh fruit bunches harvested.