Eight principles for the responsible production of palm oil

The workshop was part of the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 Africa Palm Oil Initiative, which is developing a set of regional principles to guide palm oil development across the region.

 

Proforest, who are leading the initiative on behalf of TFA 2020, organised the Ghana National Workshop on Sustainable Palm Oil Development in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

"Palm oil has potential to be the next “gold” for Ghana, if all key stakeholders collaborate to meet the global demand for sustainable palm oil," said Mr Gabriel Opoku-Asare, Head of Corporate Affairs at Unilever Ghana, who are also actively involved in the TFA 2020 initiative.

This workshop brought together senior representatives of the government, including the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, with traditional leaders, major palm oil producing and consumer goods companies, and civil society organisations.

"We are thrilled that participants have agreed on these draft Principles for Responsible Palm Oil Production in Ghana..."

Abraham Baffoe

Proforest’s Africa Director, Abraham Baffoe, welcomed the outcome of the workshop.

“We are thrilled that participants have agreed on these draft Principles for Responsible Palm Oil Production in Ghana.They will guide the development of the sector and will help our producers to meet growing international demand for sustainably produced palm oil,” he said.

The eight principles cover: 

• the policy and legal framework for governing oil palm development 
• sustainable environmental management and socio-economic concerns
• stakeholder involvement
• rural livelihoods and the rights of smallholders and outgrowers
• research and extension services
• implementation of best management practices
• labour rights and obligations
• financing and long-term funding.

TFA 2020 is a public–private partnership bringing together companies, governments and civil society with a shared goal of reducing tropical deforestation across the globe. Its focus is on agricultural commodities like palm oil, soy, pulp and paper, and beef products, which drive more than 50% of such deforestation.

For further information about the TFA 2020’s Africa Palm Oil Initiative, contact Abraham Baffoe (Abraham@proforest.net). Telephone: +44 (0)1865 243439.

For more background on the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 visit www.tfa2020.com