SEEKING CLARITY ON SIME DARBY

AThe Editor,

I bring your greetings and happy to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciations for the work that FrontPageAfrica is doing in Liberia.

My attention is drawn to the headline on Sime Darby company in your paper, Vol 13 NO. 012 on its front page, which reads “SIME DARBY IS LEAVING” with the following lines: 

“The main issues hampering the company include lack of encumbrance free land for expansion. with just 10,500 hectares planted and high palm oil processing mill constructed, the company will find it very difficult to remain in business.”

I am must concerned with the quote “with just 10,500 hectares planted”, which tells me as in simple text that Sime Darby company has cleared only 10,500 hectares, which I think need verification. 

I have been working on the Liberia’s forest cover and land use map using GIS and remote sensing tools to quantify the area extends of the various agricultural plantations across Liberia and found out that what Sime Darby Company is considering its plantation size(10,500hectare) is far lesser than what is measured. I don’t want to give a figure now, but we can use their argument to create a condition where the nation could know the exact extend of the various Agricultural company land use and the Government could get its fare share of the actual land use in rental. 

As for the claim that Sime Darby company makes, I argue that with the best of knowledge and expertise using the GIS and remote sensing tool with high resolution images, Sime Darby Company is using more than stated (10,500 hectares).

Thanks for your attention and note that I am available to be reached anytime for further discussion and if possible a joint team with Sime Darby company to verify their claim. 

Isaac Nyaneyon Kannah 

MRV consultant 
REDD+ Implementation Unit
Forestry development Authority – Liberia