Proforest together with Solidaridad and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) are organising the second Africa Sustainable Palm Oil Conference and RSPO Open Day in Accra, Ghana on the 6th and 7th of September, 2016. The event will take place at the La Palm Royal Beach Resort in Accra, under the theme, “Translating Commitments into Action”.
On the 8th and 9th of September 2016, RSPO is also organising a two-day workshop to gather inputs for a 5-year strategic and comprehensive regional action plan based on RSPO Smallholder Strategy developed on the same venue of the La Palm Royal Beach Resort in Accra, Ghana.
Investment in the palm oil sector in Africa is growing with the potential to providing jobs, improving local economies and reducing rural poverty. Future growth in the sector is expected to help close the palm oil deficit and position the region to be a net exporter of palm oil. However, if not well planned and implemented, this growing industry could come with significant negative social and environmental impacts, leading to further rural impoverishment, land conflicts, deforestation and destruction of High Conservation Values.
Additionally, the dynamics of demand for palm oil are changing, as businesses across the globe are making voluntary, time-bound commitments to sourcing 100% certified sustainable palm oil.
Businesses in Africa are beginning to adopt sustainable practices in the production and trade of palm oil. As the commitment and production of sustainable palm oil increases in Africa in response to the growing global market for certified palm oil, there would be obvious implications for local businesses and small producers who dominate the palm oil industry in the region and their ability to adopt global best practice requirements.
The Africa Sustainable Palm Oil Conference 2016 brings stakeholders together to discuss how to position businesses on the continent to adopt best practices in sustainability whilst mainstreaming small producers’ ability to access global supply chains. The forum will bring together oil palm growers, civil society, financial institutions, supply chain actors, development partners, governments and key experts in the oil palm sector within Africa and beyond.
Registration for the event is absolutely free, however, delegates are required to register by 15th August 2016. For more information and updates of the Conference and RSPO Open Day please refer to https://africasustainablepalmoil.net/
The Africa Sustainable Palm Oil conference is organised with the kind contribution of Wilmar Africa, Olam International, The SIAT Group, Norpalm Ghana Limited, Solidaridad, RSPO and Proforest.
