Palm Oil Frontiers

Hidden in plain sight

In the third and final episode of Dialogue Earth's podcast series, Palm Oil Frontiers, Gayathri Vaidyanathan takes to the streets of Chennai in southern India to find out how much people know about palm oil. India is the world’s largest importer of palm oil, and the second largest consumer after Indonesia. The commodity is widely used as a cooking oil in restaurants (especially at the street- and fast-food end of the industry) and low-income households, as well as in the production of processed foods. Despite its prevalence, however, many people in India are unaware of its presence, let alone the environmental damage the expansion of oil palm plantations in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia has caused. This lack of awareness means there’s very little market pressure to purchase palm oil from sustainable sources. Indeed, only 2% of India’s palm oil is sustainably produced, according to an internal estimate by the Sustainable Palm Oil Coalition of India. What can be done to change this? Do consumers really have an important role to play, or should the onus be on government and industry? And what has India’s increasing problem with health issues such as diabetes and obesity got to do with it? For more, see the show notes: https://dialogue.earth/en/food/palm-oil-frontiers-hidden-in-plain-sight/ [https://dialogue.earth/en/food/palm-oil-frontiers-hidden-in-plain-sight/] CREDITS Producer and host: Gayathri Vaidyanathan [https://gayathrivaidyanathan.com/] Commissioning editor: Lizi Hesling Sound design: Alyssa Moxley [https://www.alyssa-moxley.com/] Research: Gayathri Vaidyanathan [https://gayathrivaidyanathan.com/], RK Srividya Art work: Nahal Sheikh [https://www.nahalsheikh.com/] Thanks to: Josie Phillips, Jessica Aldred  MUSIC  “Uncertain Ground” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/120215], licence: CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “The Telling” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/124670⁠], licence: ⁠CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/]⁠ “Hermes Gray” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/114852], licence: ⁠⁠CC BY NC⁠⁠ [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “Evidence Room” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/124259], licence: ⁠⁠⁠CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “Di Breun” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/120522], licence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/]⁠⁠

Squeaky clean

In episode two of Dialogue Earth's podcast series, Palm Oil Frontiers, Lise Josefsen Hermann visits Manabí province in Ecuador to find out if it’s really possible to produce palm oil sustainably. The narrative around palm oil has long been extremely negative. For many, the commodity is inextricably connected with deforestation and habitat destruction, especially in the rainforests of Southeast Asia. It is however an incredibly useful and efficient oil crop. As such, most involved in the oil palm sector argue that we shouldn’t be trying to get rid of it, but rather to find ways to grow it sustainably. Leading the way in this effort is the Netherlands-based company Natural Habitats [https://www.natural-habitats.com/about-us/], set up in 2009 with the aim of proving that palm oil can be produced in a manner that helps rather than harms the environment, and also benefits local communities. The company started its work in Ecuador where it currently has 79 small-scale suppliers, all of whom it has helped gain certification under a wide range of organic and sustainable standards. It’s an inspiring initiative, but is Natural Habitats doing everything it says it’s doing? And can such a small company set an example that the rest of the industry can realistically follow?  For more, see the show notes: https://dialogue.earth/en/food/palm-oil-frontiers-squeaky-clean/ [https://dialogue.earth/en/food/palm-oil-frontiers-squeaky-clean/]  CREDITS  Producer and host: Lise Josefsen Hermann  Commissioning editor: Lizi Hesling  Sound design: Alyssa Moxley [https://www.alyssa-moxley.com/]  Art work: Nahal Sheikh [https://www.nahalsheikh.com/] Interview dubs: Joe Coroneo-Seaman, Charlie Goodson, Lizi Hesling  Thanks to: Blanca Moncada, Josie Phillips, Jessica Aldred MUSIC  “Morning Glare” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/123520], licence: CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “Our Only Lark” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/123521], licence: ⁠CC BY NC⁠ [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “Pacific Time” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/123522], licence: ⁠CC BY NC⁠ [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “Fissure Forming" by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/123523]⁠ [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/123522], licence: ⁠⁠CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “Cold and Hard” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/123524]⁠ [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/123522], licence: ⁠⁠CC BY NC⁠⁠ [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/]  “A Calendar Spread” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/123525], licence: ⁠⁠⁠CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/]⁠⁠⁠

The mothers of Malen

In episode one of Dialogue Earth's new podcast series, Palm Oil Frontiers, Abdul Brima visits Malen Chiefdom in Sierra Leone to find out how an industrial-scale oil palm plantation is impacting the lives of local women. The oil palm is native to West Africa, where it continues to play a vital role in food security and local economies. Palm oil is especially important for women in the region, many of whom earn a much-needed boost to their incomes by selling oil produced from their own fruit – money they use to raise their children. But in Malen Chiefdom in the southern part of Sierra Leone, the arrival of an industrial oil palm plantation has threatened all this. What impact is the plantation having on women in the area? And what needs to happen to improve the situation? For more, see the show notes: https://dialogue.earth/en/food/palm-oil-frontiers-the-mothers-of-malen/ [https://dialogue.earth/en/food/palm-oil-frontiers-the-mothers-of-malen/] CREDITS Producer and host: Abdul Brima Commissioning editor: Lizi Hesling Sound design: Alyssa Moxley [https://www.alyssa-moxley.com/] Research: Kenny James Blango Art work: Nahal Sheikh [https://www.nahalsheikh.com/] Interview dubs: Tallulah Staple, Lizzie Frost, Krista Charles, Lizi Hesling Thanks to: Jessica Aldred, Josie Phillips MUSIC “Gullwing Sailor” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/122055], licence: CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “Headlights – Mountain Road” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/122058], licence: CC BY NC [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/]⁠ “Wisteria” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/122059]⁠ [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/122058⁠ ], licence: ⁠CC BY NC⁠⁠ [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/] “Heather” by Blue Dot Sessions [https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/122057], licence: ⁠⁠CC BY NC⁠⁠⁠ [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/]