Palm Kernel Farm
GAF's Palm Kernel Farm will commence in the 2009 planting season. Community officials gifted GAF 100 acres to initiate its plan.
Based on recommendations from the Ministry of Agriculture, we plan to start the palm kernel farm with 600 trees and expand the farm by 1200 trees for two consecutive years, for a final farm size of 3000 trees. During the first two years, we will also plant crops such as cassava and beans among the trees. These crops, which are staple crops also grown by most households for personal consumption, will be harvested and sold. During the third year, the farm will be managed and prepared for harvesting during the fourth year. Over 95% of the initially planted trees can be expected to produce palm kernels during the fourth year. Each tree can be expected to produce 5-10 gallons during the main harvest season. In addition, as the tree matures, it will begin to produce palm kernels all year round, leading to ongoing harvests. A gallon of palm oil currently sells for around 6 USD, and market demand is consistently high. In fact, the government occasionally limits exports to preserve oil for domestic sale. Sierra Leone's Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that while the start-up phase of the farm is long, the payoffs are well worth it and would ensure sustainable growth for the clinic.
