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Pre-certification conditions of independent oil palm smallholders in Indonesia. Assessing prospects for RSPO certification
Through interviews with 18 RSPO certified independent smallholder groups in Indonesia and 9 certification facilitators, this study examines how pre-certification conditions regarding smallholders’ socio-economic backgrounds, legality, group organization, planation management practices, and local supply chain conditions impact prospects for RSPO certification, and how groups who successfully achieved certification have dealt with challenges during the certification process.
Global Market Report: Palm Oil Prices and Sustainability
This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development dives into the latest developments in the palm oil industry, exploring how sustainability standards can contribute to ensuring equitable incomes for palm oil producers and encouraging the adoption of sustainable practices. The report also provide key recommendations to aid expansion of sustainable palm oil, such as addressing farmers’ needs through training in business and agricultural practices, improving coordination among all value chain actors to create incentives for sustainability, and enacting policies and measures by governments and the private sector to promote sustainably grown palm oil.
Accelerating certification of oil palm smallholders through institutionalization of various incentives
This study aims to analyze to what extent incentives can accelerate sustainable palm oil certification, from what sources those incentives can be arranged, and types of incentives are appropriate for palm oil smallholders.
What does it mean to be compliant with sustainability standards and certification? Projecting confidence.
Following an analysis of multiple voluntary sustainability standards (VSS), including Rainforest Alliance, Better Cotton Initiative, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, and Bonsucro, a study reveals distinct compliance-indicator types within these VSS. Predominantly, these compliance-indicators fall into categories such as policy-based (48%) and practice-based (36%), while a smaller proportion comprises performance-based (10%) or measurement-based (6%) indicators. This paper finds that compliance with measurement and performance-based standards is more likely to translate directly to SDG indicators used by governments to report progress. Incorporating performance-based standards can increase the likelihood that compliance is achieving desired results.
Achieving Indonesian palm oil farm-to-table traceability through ISPO-RSPO harmonization
This paper highlights the overlap between private sector and the state in regulating the sustainability of palm oil industry in Indonesia through the presence of two different certification schemes: the voluntary, global market-driven Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the mandatory, state-driven Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO). Increasing demand from global consumers for proof of sustainability in the industry requires comprehensive supply chain traceability. Since product tracing in each certification scheme covers different phases of the long palm oil supply chains, there is an opportunity to improve traceability and cover the entire supply chain by harmonizing the certifications to better accommodate both Indonesian regulations and the global norms that regulate palm oil sustainability. Comprehensive traceability would benefit all industry stakeholders (government, companies, smallholders, and NGOs) in ensuring the sustainability of Indonesian palm oil products in the global market.
Complexities of sustainable palm oil production by smallholders in sub-Saharan Africa
The objective of this study was to understand the challenges and complexities of sustainable palm oil production by smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The study provided a snapshot of the characteristics and practices of farms in Africa, namely Cameroon. Based on the results, smallholders face several challenges including weak land tenure rights, the use of poor-quality seeds and low-yielding oil palms, and a lack of skills, expertise, and access to financing. Certification could help alleviate some of the challenges by providing access to financing, training to improve yields, access to better seedlings, and increased access to higher value markets. However, the certification cost is very high compared to the income from oil palm cultivation for most farmers. Farmers will therefore need considerable assistance from organizations and brokers to remain financially viable.
Public engagement promotes consumer choice in favour of sustainable palm oil
Conducted in the Rainforest Biome of the world renowned Eden Project in the United Kingdom, this study explores public awareness of palm oil and understand the factors influencing sustainable consumer choice using a mixed-methods survey.
Palm oil and the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) label: Are Swiss consumers aware and concerned?
Through an online survey, this study explores Swiss consumers’ associations with, perceptions and awareness of palm oil and the RSPO label.
Industry-driven mitigation measures can reduce GHG emissions of palm oil
Published in 2022 in the Journal of Cleaner Production, this article performs a detailed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of 1 kg of palm oil for two case studies: PT SMART’s Hanau and Sungai Rungau facilities in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. The objective is to quantify the reduction in GHG emissions and nature occupation that has been achieved by implementing industry-driven measures.
Implications of zero-deforestation palm oil for tropical grassy and dry forest biodiversity
This article examines locations suitable for zero-deforestation expansion of commercial oil palm, which is increasingly expanding outside the tropical rainforest biome, by generating empirical models of global suitability for rainfed and irrigated oil palm.
