Allanblackia and the Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) commit a number of countries to half global poverty by 2015. Poverty tends to be the most pervasive and deep in forest-dependent communities in rural areas of developing countries. A number of actors including some governments, international organizations and development agencies have started to realize that promoting economically viable businesses is a promising option for both contributing to poverty reduction and natural resources conservation.

The oil obtained from seeds of the Allanblackia has the prospects for boosting rural income and national exports. Through the cultivation of AB trees and the promotion of a sustainable supply chain, an average small-scale farmer could additionally earn as much as US$ 175 per annum by 2015. This income potential combined with the oil composition, the high annual seed production, and the fact that the trees can grow in previously deforested areas, have led to the ambition of replicating and up-scaling Allanblackia farming in rural Africa.

To ensure optimal contribution towards the MDGs, special attention is given to:

• helping small-scale cultivators first;
• business ethics;
• environmental issues;
• the position of women and children; and to
• local management and ownership.