Growing up in a city like Singapore and having no exposure to the agricultural industry previously, I had never imagined the growing of oil palm trees and the harvesting of its fruits to be a … Continue reading “Out of the office, into the field”

Food security is a pressing global issue, with the Food and Agriculture Organisation reporting that over 815 million people are chronically undernourished. Palm oil, as an SDG commodity, plays a huge role in feeding the … Continue reading “Palm oil’s role in feeding the world”

“NGOs often criticise us but when asked for clarification, often they refuse to give us data. If NGOs were to make the allegations, we hope they can come with the facts, talk to us and … Continue reading “A glimpse inside the palm oil industry: What I learnt from working at GAR”

This speech was first presented by Franky Widjaja, Chairman and CEO, Golden Agri-Resources, at RBF 2018 in Jakarta, on 27 March 2018 and has been modified slightly to fit the blog. The theme of Responsible … Continue reading “RBF 2018: Helping smallholders in order to achieve zero hunger SDG”

In today’s interconnected world, companies are judged not just on their performance but are expected to bear responsibility for their supply chain. It is not enough for a company to show that it is operating … Continue reading “Beyond Traceability to the Plantation: A Responsible Palm Oil Supply Chain”

In conjunction with World Science Day, we explore the significance of Research and Development (R&D) and biotechnology in agribusiness, and especially in palm oil. We speak with Tony Liwang, Head of Plant Production and Biotechnology … Continue reading “Video: Importance of biotechnology in agriculture”

Tackling smallholder issues is central to the sustainable transformation of the palm oil industry. Palm oil production is a key livelihood for 2.5 million farmers and their communities. The industry as a whole provides direct … Continue reading “Can the RSPO P&C Review make certification more accessible for smallholders?”

While the use of biofuels has clear benefits, they are often widely debated. Biodiesel sourced from palm oil especially, has sparked controversy in the European Union (EU) where palm oil production is strongly linked to … Continue reading “The biofuel controversy”

The Alternative Livelihood Programme (now known as the Integrated Ecological Farming Programme), introduced by Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) in 2016, teaches villages sustainable agriculture practices without using intensive chemicals and fire for land clearing. In addition, … Continue reading “Uplifting communities through the Alternative Livelihood Programme”