Supported by USAID, CIFOR’s research on oil palm spans the study of plantation development on deforestation and biodiversity impacts; local livelihoods and smallholder issues with a gender lens; private sector commitments and emerging governance arrangements for sustainable palm oil development; future scenarios; and much more. 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 build more inclusive value chains that support the upgrade of smallholder oil palm production systems with better uptake of sustainable practices, and to achieve more effective biodiversity conservation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions while accommodating the interests of multiple stakeholders. To this end, we combine scientific research with capacity development and stakeholder engagement that ranges from global sustainability processes to national and sub-national public and private initiatives.
