Cash Crops
Tenera hybrid, nursery, 143 palms/ha, first harvest at 3 years and yields of 10 to 25 t of bunches/ha. A practical guide to oil palm farming in Africa.
August 19, 2026
Cash crops such as cocoa, coffee, oil palm and cashew remain a major source of income for farmers in West and Central Africa. In this category, JOGOO explains cocoa farming practices that restore yields on aging farms, coffee farming in highland and lowland zones, oil palm farming from seedling to production, and the fertilization, pruning and crop protection that keep plantations productive and profitable.
Tenera hybrid, nursery, 143 palms/ha, first harvest at 3 years and yields of 10 to 25 t of bunches/ha. A practical guide to oil palm farming in Africa.
Complete 2026 guide to establishing, managing and profiting from a cocoa farm in Cameroon: SNK varieties, nursery, crop programme, fertilisation, fermentation, prices and markets.
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The main cash crops in Africa include cocoa, coffee, cashew, cotton, tea, oil palm, rubber, groundnut, sesame, sugarcane and tobacco. Cocoa dominates in West Africa, especially Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, while coffee and tea are major crops in East Africa. Cashew grows widely in the savanna belts of West and East Africa.
Start by removing old, unproductive or diseased trees and replanting gradually with improved, high-yielding planting material, or rehabilitate existing trees by grafting. Prune to open the canopy, regulate shade, and remove diseased pods regularly to limit black pod. Apply fertilizer suited to cocoa according to soil needs, and control capsids and other pests with integrated pest management.
Choose land with deep, well-drained soil and steady rainfall, or plan irrigation. Source certified tenera seedlings from a reliable nursery, as planting material determines yields for decades. Clear and prepare the land, plant in a triangular pattern with proper spacing, and use cover crops to protect the soil. Fertilize young palms regularly and control weeds around them until production begins.