Sustainable Development of Palm Oil Production: Designing strategies from Improved Knowledge on Oil Palm Cropping Systems

Objectives : The objectives of the project are: i) to investigate the influence of global changes on the various oil palm cropping systems, ii) to identify the obstacles, opportunities, and uncertainties for the adaptation of these systems to global constraints, and iii) to elaborate strategies and tools designed to facilitate the transition towards sustainable oil palm cropping systems. Method : CIFOR is responsible for the tasks 1.5 and 2.1 described below. Task 1.5: Comparative analysis of oil palm cropping systems in Indonesia and Cameroon Objective: To compare the oil palm cropping systems in Indonesia and Cameroon, and issue policy recommendations based on the lessons learned from each country. Partners involved: leader IRD (+ CIFOR + CIRAD) Deliverables: ? A description of oil palm cropping systems in each country. ? A comparison of the oil palm development processes in the two countries, which underlines the positive and negative outcomes linked to the specificity of the local and national contexts. ? Policy recommendations Deadlines: Month 12 - Month 36 Task 2.1: Global scenarios definition Objective: To define scenarios of evolution of the oil palm sector - including the production systems, the trade chain and the governance of this economical sector by public authorities - with the stakeholders of the sector, at various scales. Partners involved: leader CIFOR (+ IRD + CIRAD) Deliverables: o Scenarios of evolution of the oil palm sector depending on a number of variables of influence and defined by the stakeholders. Deadlines: This research must be conducted with a high interaction with all partners involved in WP1. Month 12- Month 30 To achieve this goal we will conduct a Participatory Prospective Analysis (PPA), as developed by Bourgeois and Jésus (2004). This method is based on a succession of workshops with stakeholders to define a system - here the oil palm sector, the variables which may influence on this system, their interactions, and finally scenarios of evolution of the system depending on the evolution of the variables.