From palm to purpose
Palm oil often evokes images of deforestation, land grabs, and endangered wildlife. But in West Africa, palm trees are native — they’ve grown wild for generations. Despite this, many smallholder farmers in Liberia don't benefit from the fruits on their own land due to a lack of access to technology and markets. That’s where J-Palm steps in — introducing a business model that sources organic, sustainable palm oil while unlocking value for local communities.
In the following photoblog, we take you behind the scenes of J-Palm’s innovative model. Each photo highlights a step in the journey from wild palm fruit to finished product.
At the core of the model is the indigenous dura palm. Rather than relying on monoculture plantations, J-Palm works exclusively with smallholder farmers who harvest wild-growing palm trees on community land.
While also trading the palm oil like conventional models, the business focuses on the often-overlooked palm kernel — the hard inner core of the fruit, typically discarded after oil pressing. By turning this waste product into the foundation of their business, J-Palm creates both environmental and economic impact.
To make the most of these resources, J-Palm installs manually operated mini-mills in rural villages. These mills allow farmers to process the palm fruit right where it grows — without the need to travel long distances.
The new mills replace the traditional, labor-intensive method of crushing palm fruits by foot — a time-consuming practice with low efficiency. Now, oil extraction is up to 90% faster and yields 50% more oil. Local villagers are trained to operate the mills and serve as agents, while field supervisors support and oversee the process.
In some areas, communities prefer to stick with their traditional oil pressing methods. J-Palm adapts accordingly — simply buying the resulting kernels directly from the farmers. The exact arrangement is agreed on a village level with the council and can vary depending on the preferences of the community members.
After collection, the kernels are transported to J-Palm’s processing factory near Monrovia, where they are turned into palm kernel oil. The shell of the kernel is transformed into charcoal for cooking – further closing the loop and leveraging residual products.
The processed oil feeds into two distinct product streams: 1.) Kernel Fresh: Consumer-packaged products 2.) Bulk oil: Palm kernel oil
1. Kernel Fresh – Consumer-packaged products: Harnessing the skin-nourishing properties of palm kernel oil, Kernel Fresh offers soaps, facial oils, shampoos, and other natural beauty products. These are enriched with locally sourced ingredients, providing a high-value use for the oil.
2. Bulk oil – Palm kernel oil: The majority of production volume is sold as edible oil on local markets, used in cooking much like coconut oil. This provides a vital everyday product while keeping value within the region. Some of it is also exported.
However, many palm fruits still go unharvested because the traditional process is slow and yields are low. By bringing mills to the villages, J-Palm creates strong incentives for locals to collect and process fruits — generating income from previously untapped resources.
Looking ahead, the company plans to buy crude palm oil directly from farmers, reducing their reliance on distant market days in larger towns. By aggregating and reselling this oil at higher-volume markets, J-Palm creates a win-win — boosting farmers’ incomes while scaling its own operations.
Conclusions
By reconnecting smallholder farmers with the native palm trees growing right in their communities, J-Palm is rewriting the story of palm oil in West Africa — turning what was once overlooked or wasted into a source of sustainable income and local empowerment. Through innovative technology, respectful collaboration with village councils, and a commitment to organic, community-driven production, this model creates lasting value that benefits both people and the environment.
As an active member of J-Palm’s Board of Directors, elea promotes stringent governance, information flow and strategic discussion. We have particularly continued the sparring on strategic initiatives such as production capacity investments, market focus, and team expansion.
