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Presbyterian Women’s
Palm Project
The Presbyterian Women Palm
Project provides a new mission opportunity for individuals and groups to
make donations for the development of palm plantations in Congo. Destruction
of agricultural capabilities has forced the Congo, once the world’s largest
producer of palm oil, to import cooking oil from Malaysia for the country’s
domestic use.
This change in the market
has opened up an opportunity for our Presbyterians partner to develop
income-generating project that do not require huge financial investment, but
can have great returns.
With
funding from the PW Palm Project, women’s groups and hospitals of the
Presbyterian Community of Congo will be able to plant new varieties of Costa
Rican palms that produce three times more palm oil than the current stock
can produce. These new varieties of palms grow low to the ground, allowing
women to participate in the planting, maintenance and harvest of the crop.
One $20,000 investment from PW will fund 80 hectares
(Metric system for 2.47 acres) of palms that will generate $200,000 per year
for 30 years to subsidize educational programs, hospitals and clinics. |
Palm Project Facts:
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Congo’s current palm tree stocks produces only 1,000 to 2,000 liters
of oil per hectare.
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New varieties from Costa Rica produce 3,000 to 6,000 liters per
hectare.
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There are 150 trees per hectare.
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A small plantation of 450 palms at a high school will cover the the
tuition cost for 60 girls.
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A $20.00 gift to the Palm Project will purchase about 10 plants.
Learn
more, including ways
to promote the project,
on the
PW pages of pcusa.org |
