Elaeis guineensis (Jacq.) is an important oil producing crop throughout the world. Oil palm has a high oil content and the highest potential of oil yield per acre when compared to other vegetable oils (Anyane 1961). At the turn of the century, West Africa was the center of palm oil production. Palm oil and, later, palm kernel oil were used in soap, candles, and early margarine production. Today, oil palm is cultivated around the world, with large plantations in both the East Indies and Central America. In West Africa, palm oil is the main source for filling the fat and oil requirements in the diet. Non-edible products are made from palm kernel oil. There are other oil palm products which are of cultural, domestic, and local economic value. These are referred to as by-products in the plantation industry. The most noted of these products is palm wine. Palm wine is tapped from the xylem flow of the meristem. An alcoholic spirit is distilled from tapped palm wine. In certain places of Africa, a method called standing tapping exists. Standing tapping does not kill the tree. The tapping method in Ghana, fell tapping, requires the felling of the tree which kills the tree, ceasing production of the palm fruits. In Ghana, Togo, and Benin, the fell tapping method is preferred. Ideally, this tapping is done well after the 15- year peak period of production of nuts, when the tree is fully mature. In the southern Volta Region of Ghana, however, it was observed that the trees are harvested much earlier, before the palm is taller than the person who taps it. This is in the first few years of peak nut production, or shortly after fruiting has begun.

Products made with the leaves of the palm use the fibrous leaf stalk. Baskets and other household items are the most common. These products have generally been neglected as oil palm products. In areas where palm management fells immature trees, the palm fronds have now become more scarce than in the past. The leaves themselves have thus become a commodity sold to basket weavers. Leaves are also pruned to make room for annual cereal crops. Leaf pruning is locally reported to adversely affect palm nut production. While palm oil is the main commodity of oil palm worldwide, farmers in the southeast Ghana seem to manage against palm nut production. 

By continually pruning leaves and felling at an early age, the farmers not only choose to forego a steady annual income which could come from the seasonal harvest of palm nuts, but sacrifice continuous increasing value of the standing tree for wine. The purpose of this study is to examine what causes the local people to manage palms in ways which seem to decrease the value of the tree for its fruit. In doing this, management strategies for the oil palm will be defined.