In January 2024, Mongabay reported on the poor working conditions for employees of large industrial agricultural companies in Cameroon. The article focuses particularly on the occupational health and safety risks for workers and conflicts between companies and local communities.

The article explores poor working conditions and human rights violations experienced by workers employed by Société Sucriere du Cameroun (SOSUCAM), a subsidiary of the French company, SOMIDAA. These include deaths and injuries due to workplace accidents; low wages; a lack of medical coverage; and a lack of personal protective equipment.

The article emphasises the poor pay and precarious working conditions experienced by workers generally in the sector. In particular, the article highlights how seasonal migrant Tapuri workers from the North of the country are impacted by abuse.

The article also highlights conflicts between these companies and local communities over ‘land issues, farmland degradation, soil and water pollution, as well as biodiversity loss’, including conflicts where the companies SOSUCAM, SOCAPALM, Tawfiq Agro industry and CAMVERT operate.

In February, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre asked SOSUCAM, SOCAPALM, and CAMVERT to respond to the article. SOMDIAA’s response can be read in full below. SOCAPALM and CAMVERT did not respond.

The Resource Centre was not able to contact Tawfiq Agro Industry to invite a response to the allegations; if a response is received in future this page will be updated accordingly.