Argues that companies come prepared to take over the land, and communities in West and Central Africa must prepare to resist. Stresses the importance of a community speaking with one voice, and then lists twelve tactics that companies use to obtain access to company land. Considers questions such as:

• How do companies trick communities into agreeing to give them control over their land?
• Why are empty promises made by the company about generating local employment or health and education facilities so effective in convincing communities to allow them onto their land?
• What can communities do to stop the theft of their land, and the destruction of the local water springs, creeks, rivers, forests and other places that are affected by the plantations?
• What can communities do in situations where the company has already taken their land?
• Why do projects promoted by some companies and governments in which peasant farmers grow oil palm under contract for the company result in debt and poverty for participating farmers?