History of a dispossession: Oil palm: violence and land grabbing of indigenous peoples in Colombia and Peru

Abstract

Oil palm was introduced during the 20th century in Colombia and later in Peru. The area under cultivation has been steadily increasing in these two countries, which we are studying in this article. The ideal soil conditions for its cultivation are found in territories mostly inhabited by indigenous populations. After briefly reviewing the colonial antecedents of land grabbing, we will focus on the expansion of cultivation, particularly on indigenous peoples' territories, an expansion often accompanied by violence and deforestation, despite claims to the contrary by palm oil organizations and state agencies. More recently, in order to avoid situations of violence and hoarding, market mechanisms have been developed to attract the indigenous - and peasant - population into production, which constitutes a real threat to the forest, to food sovereignty and to the survival of indigenous cultures. Peruvian palm growers apply these mechanisms after completing internships in Colombia. We will show that the expansion of oil palm cultivation is a history of dispossession and violence and continues today.