From 4–6 June 2018, RSPO held its 7th Latin American RSPO Conference in Cali, Colombia. The event, which was jointly organised by RSPO and Colombian palm oil trade association FEDEPALMA, was attended by participants from 20 countries across Latin America, Asia, Europe and North America. During three days of fruitful work, the participants reflected on 10 years of RSPO presence in Latin America.
Establishing Latin America as a global leader in sustainable palm oil production
The topics addressed in the panels and work sessions allowed participants to discuss and assess the main challenges and next steps towards achieving our common goal: making Latin America a global leader in the sustainable production of palm oil.
Twenty engaging presenters and a range of plenary discussions and workshops covered topics as wide-ranging as biodiversity, market uptake, and human rights. Attendees discussed RSPO and its members’ roles in promoting sustainability throughout the palm oil production chain in the region over the last decade.
Recognising the achievements of RSPO’s Latin American partners
RSPO Chief Executive Officer Datuk Darrel Webber highlighted the dynamism of RSPO certification in Latin America, where the volume of certified palm oil has tripled in the last three years. The region is rapidly approaching the milestone of producing 1 million tons of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO). He further highlighted regional producers’ interest in adopting RSPO’s sustainability standards, as reflected in the increasing number of RSPO-certified extractors and supply chain facilities.
In his remarks, FEDEPALMA Executive President Dr. Jens Mesa further emphasised the commitment that the producers of the region have shown to implementing RSPO’s recommended environmental and social practices in the cultivation and production of palm oil.
Mr. Luis Gilberto Murillo, Colombian Minister of the Environment, closed the conference by commending Colombian and Latin American growers for their leadership in agro-production chains when it comes to sustainability issues.
The conference was an ideal space to share, reflect, and discuss how to move forward with RSPO's mission in Latin America and the world over: to transform the market, make sustainable palm oil the norm, and maximise the social, economic, and environmental benefits from sustainable palm oil production.
