Green palm oil

Project goal: Sustainable and eco-friendly production of palm oil
Project size: 870 hectares of land for production – excluding one protected area
CO2 reduction: around 55,000 tons a year by capturing and processing methane gas emissions
Palm oil: 45 million tons are produced each year worldwide

Palm oil is a valuable commodity: it’s cheaper than other plant-based oils, and the palm fruit is both productive and versatile. Palm oil can be found almost anywhere, from produce to cosmetics and biofuel. But the palm boom has a major disadvantage: entire rainforests are often razed and depleted to make way for palm oil plantations.

And palm oil production is growing at a rapid rate, with estimates of 100 million tons a year by 2025. That trend is no different in Colombia. But while production is growing, sustainability is also becoming more important. A family business called Daabon Group cultivates palm plants on unused land. Plant waste is used as natural fertilizer and methane generated during the production is captured and converted into energy. Many local farmers deliver their palm fruits to the Daabon business, securing an additional source of income.

A film by Manuela Kasper-Claridge