The stems, leaves, trunks, sap and fruits of many palms provide walls and thatch, ropes and boats, palm hearts and dates, coconuts and sago, sugar and wine, cooking oil and much more, making a huge contribution to the livelihoods of local people.

Coconuts also 'wash up' on European shores, used mainly for their flesh (copra) and fibre (coir). We may be more familiar with coconut chocolate bars, pina coladas, hair conditioners, potting composts and doormats. However, on the international market the oil palm reigns supreme. It produces palm oil, found in our processed foods, cleaning products and cosmetics.

Supply chases demand and plantations march into the rainforest.

Plantation work is hard and dirty, but people work dirty and hard to get the world on satellite TV.

'Don't cut down the forest,' we say. Who are we to talk? We already have our TV dream.

Where next? New initiatives are slowly emerging; projects to explore planting oil palms on degraded land rather than newly felled virgin rainforest, and new co-operatives to enable workers to control their own future.

Information kindly provided by The Eden Project. Text copyright the Eden Project 2003