At Windella Farm we are extremely conscious of the fact that our actions have consequences and so when formulating our products we are not only concerned with how effective the ingredients are but also the environmental impact of their production. The issue of palm oil is a complicated and emotional one, and it is important that we each research and form our own opinions. At Windella Farm we have made the conscious choice to support the view shared by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) which advocates for the development of a sustainable palm industry rather than a boycott of palm oil. Below is a brief summary on some of the key issues leading to our position on palm oil:
The Pro's:
The Oil Palm is an incredibly efficient crop, yielding four to ten times more oil on the same amount of land than any other crop. Oil palm grows on a range of soils, requires relatively few inputs, and bears fruit year-round, making it an attractive crop for smallholders. It is also one of the best renewable resources available as everything on the plant can be utilised for the production of food, personal care products, biofuel, charcoal and furniture. Palm and palm kernal oil is so versatile that it is found in roughly half of all products on supermarket shelves. It also relatively inexpensive to produce. The palm oil industry provides millions of jobs and generates billions of dollars in export revenues for producing countries.
The Con's:
Because oil palm is only grown in the humid tropics, the development and expansion of plantation areas often comes at the expense of tropical rainforest. When forests are cleared or burned to make way for plantations, greenhouse gas emissions are released. The destruction of forests may also mean the loss of important habitat area for highly threatened species like orangutans, tigers, elephants, and rhinos. The development of large-scale oil palm plantations has also led to social conflict between companies, governments and communities over land tenure and usage rights, as well as numerous labor and human rights abuses including forced and child labor.
So why advocate for sustainable palm production instead of a boycott?
In a nut shell, a boycott of palm oil will not solve the problem. Because of its highly efficient production output, substituting another oil in place of palm oil will not solve the problem of plantation expansion; it will simply shift it to other actors and regions. As an example, for every hectare of oil palm avoided, an additional 10 hectares of soy would need to be planted to produce the same amount of oil. The crux of the problem is how to feed a rapidly expanding population with limited resources. Recent years have seen great progress made towards sustainability due to influential demand markets like the US, Europe and Australia committing to sourcing only sustainable palm oil. If these influential demand markets were to transition to alternative fats and oils, this industry-wide momentum would likely be lost. Yet, with global demand for palm oil driven largely by Asian markets, palm oil production would continue – only with fewer incentives for sustainability. Further, there are about 6.4 million growers whom rely on palm cultivation for their livelihoods, with countries in Africa looking to oil palm to develop revenue streams and stabilise rural economies.
We see the way forward as being the development of a truly sustainable palm oil industry through traceability, certification, verification and transparency. We are constantly monitoring the progress in making palm oil production completely sustainable and do what we can to ensure that we are purchasing the most sustainable palm oil available.
The above information was summarised from the https://www.worldwildlife.org/industries/palm-oil which is a great source for anyone wishing to further educate themselves on the issue.
