Palm oil: does cattle make a difference?

The sustainability of palm oil is heavily disputed in Europe, with pictures of mono-cropping plantations symbolising deforestation and industrial agriculture. 

We want to get a comprehensive insight in the realities and sustainability of palm oil production in Malaysia. For two weeks, 45 students from 13 countries, including 8 BOKU students, study the social, economic and ecological dimensions of palm oil production and processing.

The particular interest of the research is whether the integration of cattle can make a substantial contribution to palm oil sustainability. By comparing conventional and integrated plantations of both  corporations and smallholders, students are addressing this research question.

The Summer School is hosted by Universiti Putra Malaysia, co-organized by the Centre for Development Research of BOKU and Universitas Gadjah Mada Indonesia. It is embedded in the master program on Food Security and Climate Change with funding from the Erasmus+ program of the EU, coordinated by SEARCA, Kasetsart University and agrinatura.

We share stories and impressions from the field on all major social networks: #oilpalmcattle #sustrans18 #fsccsummerschool