Oil palm research for sustainable development
Our work aims at supporting the development of governance arrangements and investment options that align better the policies and actions of public agencies with the initiatives of private sector companies and civil society organizations in ways that contribute to improving the governance of palm oil value chains and oil palm landscapes, to
Financing farmers: Can funds for oil palm help save our forests? Suzanna Dayne 18 Oct 2017. Researchers look at challenges and solutions facing smallholders. READ THIS. Suzanna Dayne 18 Oct 2017. Financing farmers: Can funds for oil palm help save our forests? Can funds for oil palm help save our forests?
Turning down the heat in Indonesia’s oil palm industry
Indonesia In Indonesia, palm oil is a hot industry in more ways than one. In 2025 alone, it contributed USD 20.75 billion to the country’s export revenue. Oil palm plantations cover more than 14 million hectares of the country and, together with Malaysia’s, dominate the global market.
This is not to say the government has not made efforts. Namely, in 2025 the government imposed the CPO levy, mandating that palm oil exporters pay up to $20 to $50 for each ton of CPO.A portion of this money, managed by the Palm Oil Fund Management Agency, goes toward developing the sustainability of the palm oil industry, through efforts such as human resource development, research
In funding palm oil giants, banks may share in ‘sins
The recently signed moratorium on new oil palm plantation permits mandates a review of all current licenses. In a sector rife with illegality, this may have far-reaching implications, including
Palm Oil and Peatland Forests. Palm oil is highly versatile and is a key ingredient in snack foods, cosmetics, and cleaning products — this vegetable oil is in over half the products sold in supermarkets, meaning it’s in pretty much everything we use daily. In Indonesia companies drain carbon rich peatland forests to create palm oil
Is Harvesting Palm Oil Destroying the Rainforests
Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that palm oil, common in snack foods and health & beauty products, is destroying rainforests? If so, what can consumers do about it?
Palm oil can help fight poverty. Alan Oxley from the non-governmental organization World Growth says palm oil is a particularly sustainable and climate-friendly product.
From the soil to the law, climate CIFOR Forests News
Many of the journalists came from peat-rich provinces of Indonesia and took particular interest in learning about causes of deforestation and forest fires, such as the allure of quick cash leading communities to plant oil palm in lieu of more peat-friendly agriculture that doesn’t require artificial adjustments to the soil or dry out the land.
Read chapter Malaysia: Rain forests are rapidly being cleared in the humid tropics to keep pace with food demands, economic needs, and population growth.
- What is the palm oil fund management agency?
- A portion of this money, managed by the Palm Oil Fund Management Agency, goes toward developing the sustainability of the palm oil industry, through efforts such as human resource development, research and development, promoting the industry domestically and abroad, plantation infrastructure and replanting.
- How can smallholders support palm oil plantation replanting in Indonesia?
- Complementing this, smallholders following GAP can seek financial support from BPDPKS (Badan Pengelola Dana Perkebunan Kelapa Sawit, or the Indonesian Palm Oil Plantation Fund Management Agency) to cover costs for replanting to increase productivity.
- Are Independent Smallholders able to pursue sustainable palm oil production?
- Independent smallholders who do want to pursue sustainable palm oil production may find it prohibitively expensive. Researchers from Wageningen University estimated that the upfront costs for independent smallholder certification—including all the necessary documents, trainings and audits—range from 16 to 39 percent of farmers’ mean annual incomes.
- Can small farmers reform Indonesia's palm oil industry?
- Small farmers could be key actors in reforming Indonesia's palm oil industry, which has been linked to child and forced labor, deforestation and the demise of iconic species like orangutans. But they can't do it without support from government and corporations.
- How sustainable is Indonesia's palm oil sector?
- The sustainability of the palm oil sector has also triggered Indonesian government efforts to improve the policy environment for inclusion of smallholders, and channeling resources for them to improve practices in management and replanting. There is also an ongoing effort to strengthening the national standards for sustainable palm oil (ISPO).
- Who funds governing oil palm landscapes for sustainability?
- This research is supported by USAID funding for CIFOR’s Governing Oil Palm Landscapes for Sustainability (GOLS) project, and this work is partly funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development KNOWFOR Program Grant to CIFOR.
