Stakeholders gather in Brazil for Sustainable Palm Oil Week

The first day, 22nd October, was open to all interested parties and was attended by about 80 people. The next two days were marked by presentations and workshops with a focus group of about 30 people. Participants of both days including representatives of palm producing companies, supply chain companies, civil society organizations, federal and state government, researchers and certification bodies. Together they identified the main challenges for the sustainability of oil palm in Pará and potential next steps for discussion.

Context
There is increasing interest in the production of oil palm in the Brazilian Amazon. While the current extent of oil palm plantations in Brazil is only around 150.000 hectares, this area is set to increase rapidly in coming years. Most of the current oil palm development is concentrated within the state of Pará in Northern Brazil. While the expansion of oil palm has the potential to provide important economic benefits for the region, it has to be managed carefully in order to avoid negative environmental and social impacts.

Sustainability certification, such as the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), is a practical tool for ensuring that the production is carried out in a sustainable manner. The principles and criteria of the RSPO include rules on compliance with legislation, good agricultural practices, economic viability, environmental and social responsibility, responsible development of new plantations and supply chain. These principles were used as a reference point for a more informed discussion about the sustainability of palm oil production in Pará.

• The presentations given during the event are available here (in Portuguese).
• Download the report with the summary of the outcomes of the palm oil week here.