The Central African Republic develops national principles for sustainable palm oil

Organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, WWF and Proforest, the workshop was the first formal event to take place in CAR, following the country becoming a signatory to the TFA 2020 Marrakesh Declaration for the Sustainable Development of the Oil Palm Sector in Africa.

 

Left to right: Louis Defo of Proforest, Mr Honoré Feï Zouré, Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Jean-Bernard Yarissem, CAR Country Director of WWF | Photo credit: Ludovic Miaro, WWF.

Held in the Republic’s capital city of Bangui, the workshop included delegates from the private sector – including oil palm growers and traders – and civil society and community groups and focused on agreeing national principles and action plan that can guide the development of a sustainable palm oil sector in the country. Sustainable agricultural development is an important aspect of the national government’s plans for economic development.

 

Left to right: Jean-Bernard Yarissem, CAR Country Director of WWF, Mr Honoré Feï Zouré, Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Louis Defo of Proforest | Photo credit: Ludovic Miaro, WWF.

The meeting was opened by Mr Honoré Féizouré, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who said:

"The Central African Republic is not immune to deforestation if the arrangements are not made, with the support of the government, to develop the agro-ecological potential of the country.“

Jean-Bernard Yarissem, WWF’s CAR Country Director said:

‘…the development of the country must necessarily be based on the development of natural resources in general and the development of the agricultural sector, in particular.”