Liberian communities overturn Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) land grab

The indigenous Jogbahn clan in Liberia successfully forced the UK-based company Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) to retreat from their land following advocacy by the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) and Friends of the Earth Liberia. In a March 5 meeting, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf committed the Liberian government to protecting over 20,000 hectares of community land from further encroachment. This is significant as over 50% of Liberia's land (5.02 million hectares) has been leased to corporations. The conflict escalated between 2012 and 2013 when EPO cleared community farmland and conducted forced land surveys, leading to reports of intimidation and violence by company security and the Liberia National Police's Police Support Unit (PSU). In response, the communities filed a complaint with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) on September 18, 2013, demanding an end to land surveys and expansion onto customary land.

• The Liberian government committed to protecting just over 20,000 hectares of land belonging to affected communities in District no.4, Grand Bassa County from further encroachment by Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO).
• More than half of Liberia's land, totaling 5.02 million hectares, has been leased to corporate entities.
• Between late 2012 and 2013, EPO cleared and planted oil palm on community land, destroying crops and violating the right to Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC).
• Community members reported violence and intimidation by EPO security and the Police Support Unit (PSU) of the Liberia National Police during protests and forced land surveys in September 2013.
• On September 18, 2013, 11 villages within the Jogbahn Clan filed a complaint with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to stop EPO's land surveys and expansion.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2014). Liberian communities overturn Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) land grab. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Media-Briefing-on-Equatorial-Palm-Oil-PLC-final-06.05.14.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Liberian communities overturn Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) land grab. 2014. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Media-Briefing-on-Equatorial-Palm-Oil-PLC-final-06.05.14.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Liberian communities overturn Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) land grab |date=May 2014 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Media-Briefing-on-Equatorial-Palm-Oil-PLC-final-06.05.14.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2014liberian, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Liberian communities overturn Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) land grab}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2014}, month = may, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Media-Briefing-on-Equatorial-Palm-Oil-PLC-final-06.05.14.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }