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African palm plantations threaten Manatees in Santander

By Manuel Rueda, Editorial Director

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Palm Plantations near the banks of the Magdalena River are polluting the habitat of forty manatees at Cienaga Paredes and threatening the animal´s survival.

Manatees live in Cienagas or Marshes along the Magdalena River, but the African Palm Plantations in the region are contaminating the marshes and drying them up as they draw excessive amounts of water from local sources and pollute local streams with fertilizer and other chemicals.

Jose Manuel Zapata, a 61 year old fisherman who has looked out for the manatees at Cienaga Paredes for the past three decades has worked shoulder to shoulder with sixty six farmers over the past two weeks to build a 40 meter long by 30 meter wide ditch, that would allow more water to reach the Manatee´s habitat.

“This is just the first sign of the chaotic situation that is occurring in this part of the Magdalena River” he said “due to the environmental deterioration occurring around the ciénaga.”

African palm plantations are growing exponentially around the middle Magdalena River, it is a profitable crop used to make different sorts of vegetable oils.  Between 2000 and 2006, Colombia planted 3,000 hectares per year of this crop. 

But in Cienaga Paredes and the nearby town of Sabana de Torres, local mayor Uriel Velandia said that the palm plantations could threaten the livelihoods of 700 fishermen who depend on the species living in the dried up marshes. 

“We are not against the palm industry or the plantations” he said “but we are asking some planters to comply with environmental regulations.”

Plantations in the region are accused of growing their crops too close to natural reservoirs and of chopping down excessive amounts of vegetation to make way for the African Palm.  

The plantations in some cases are located just a few dozen meters from natural reservoirs. 

Juan Jose Barbudo, the general manager of Colombia´s Palm Growers´ Cooperative said local authorities “Should not stigmatize the industry” but added that those who damage the environment “Must feel the force of the law.”