Palms

Palms are the monocotyledonous trees and shrubs of the family Arecaceae, a defining feature of tropical landscapes with more than two thousand species. They supply an extraordinary range of foods: coconut, dates, oil palm fruits, palm hearts, sago starch, and toddy or palm wine tapped from inflorescences. Their structural materials serve thatch, timber, and fibre, while their oils dominate global vegetable-oil trade. In food systems, palms matter both as smallholder livelihood crops and as plantation commodities, with oil palm and coconut supporting millions of livelihoods. Sustainable management of palm landscapes, balancing production with forest conservation and biodiversity, is one of the defining challenges of tropical food supply.