654 Oil Palm Stakeholders Equipped On Sustainable Production Principles

Over 654 stakeholders within the oil palm sector of agriculture have undergone training provided by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in the South-South geopolitical zone and Abuja. Foremost Development Services Limited (FDS), acting as an intermediary organization for the RSPO in Nigeria’s oil palm industry, facilitated these sessions. Fatai Afolabi, the managing consultant and CEO of FDS, revealed this during a one-day Community Outreach and Engagement Programme (COEP) for palm oil stakeholders from various states such as Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Edo.
The training sessions, held between February 2023 and July 2023, focused on RSPO principles and Criteria 2018, with 407 stakeholders benefiting from the initial engagement program. A subsequent engagement, concentrating on grievance and dispute resolution mechanisms and conducted between September 2023 and February 2024, attracted 514 participants, with 278 attending both trainings. Participants represented diverse groups, including elders, women, youths, community-based organizations, smallholder farmers, government agencies, NGOs, civil society organizations, media, and financial institutions.
The COEP serves as a platform for interaction between oil palm communities and stakeholders to understand RSPO’s objectives in promoting sustainable palm oil production globally. Afolabi emphasized the changing landscape of oil palm production in Nigeria, with the emergence of large-scale plantations alongside traditional smallholder farming.
The training modules aimed to educate stakeholders on RSPO principles and criteria, as well as grievance and dispute resolution mechanisms, fostering mutual understanding among stakeholders, including smallholder farmers, communities, and plantation owners. Ahmed Olanigan, a facilitator, highlighted RSPO’s role in addressing negative impacts such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and conflicts arising from land ownership and workers’ rights violations.
Makinde Abiodun underscored the fairness and transparency of RSPO’s grievance and dispute resolution mechanism, which addresses complaints against RSPO members impartially. He outlined the RSPO dispute resolution system, which includes the RSPO Complaints and Appeal Procedure (CAP) and the RSPO Dispute Settlement Facility (DSF). Source: Daily Trust


OUR REVIEW
The extensive RSPO training for over 654 stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil palm sector signifies a pivotal step toward sustainable palm oil production. By focusing on RSPO principles, Criteria 2018, and grievance mechanisms, the program aims to mitigate environmental and social issues while enhancing industry standards. This initiative fosters collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including smallholder farmers, communities, and corporations, driving collective responsibility and informed decision-making across the value chain. As Africa’s agri-food expert, I stress the significance of such training in shaping the industry’s future, promoting ethical practices, and ensuring long-term viability. The RSPO’s emphasis on transparency and fairness in dispute resolution reinforces trust and accountability, essential for sustainable growth. This news highlights the transformative potential of informed engagement and underscores the importance of sustainable practices in Africa’s agri-food landscape.