SOLIDARIDAD’S PRESENTATION
KEY MESSAGES
- It is possible for Africa to be self sufficient in climate-smart oil palm production.
- Work with the existing participatory land ownership structures in Africa and focus on maintaining the existing landscape mosaics, as opposed to creating large scale monocultures.
- Intensification with best management practices can result in huge productivity increases in order to significantly reduce the need for additional land for the same output.
- The Solidaridad – IDH NI-SCOPS programme targets 80,000 smallholder farmers across 4 countries to produce climate smart palm oil.
- Large scale agriculture is incompatible with the way land is governed in Africa.
- More scientific research is needed in growing climate smart oil palm in Africa to explore the trade offs and adaptation needs.
- Focus on women and children’s rights within the context of professionalization of artisanal palm oil mills and tolling stations.