Mexico Holistic Programme

Launched in October 2020, this initiative focuses on palm oil and aims to strengthen sustainability across the Mexican palm oil sector. Led by Femexpalma in collaboration with PepsiCo, Nestlé, Oleopalma, and Proforest, it applies a holistic, supply chain–wide approach to sustainability.

Context

Smallholder palm production in Mexico is widespread, with many farms under 5 hectares. The programme provides technical training, risk mapping, and certification support to integrate producers into sustainable supply chains. This landscape-wide effort is essential to address deforestation, promote forest stewardship, and ensure the inclusion of smallholders under credible No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) commitments.

Activities & Proforest’s Role

Proforest provides technical facilitation and capacity-building support across the supply chain. Key roles include:

• Support facilitating strategic collaboration among stakeholders.
• Designing probability maps for High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) risk zones.
• Training 111 professionals and over 200 smallholders (in collaboration with Femexpalma) in sustainable palm cultivation and HCV identification.
• Supporting the development of monitoring and protection plans to enable smallholder inclusion under NDPE frameworks.

Objectives

The programme aims to foster sector-wide sustainability in Mexican palm oil by integrating:

• Robust NDPE policies on a national scale.
• Capacity-building and inclusion of independent smallholders.
• Practical tools and procedures for HCV/HCSA identification, monitoring, and protection.
• A cooperative model that unites producers, millers, traders, and buyers towards sustainable production.

Results & Achievements

• Trained 111 professionals (mill workers, technicians, consultants) across Mexico and beyond.
• Supported over 200 smallholders in applying HCV risk mapping methods on their farms.
• Developed durable frameworks for monitoring and protecting HCV areas on smallholder land.
• Integrated the first four smallholder groups into RSPO certification, funded by the RSPO Smallholder Support Fund (RSSF).

Donors, Partners & Funding

The Holistic Programme is funded and guided by PepsiCo, Nestlé, Oleopalma, and Femexpalma, with Proforest. It has received financial support through the RSPO Smallholder Support Fund, benefiting over 157 smallholder families, and is aligned with broader commitments from Cargill, Oleofinos, RSPO, and other sector stakeholders.

External links 

Femexpalma conference and smallholders in Mexico receive grant from RSPO Smallholder Support Fund (RSSF) - Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) 

Four independent Mexican smallholder groups attain RSPO certification | Bioenergy International