Pete Newton reflects on his recent co-authored papers “Interventions for achieving sustainability in tropical forest and agricultural landscapes” (a CAPRi-CCAFS Working Paper) and  “Enhancing the sustainability of commodity supply chains in tropical and agricultural landscapes” (an article in Global Environmental Change). 

Global demand for palm oil, beef, cocoa and other commodities is rapidly increasing. The production of these commodities is focused in tropical forest regions, where the environmental and social impacts of food production are greatest. Not least, commodity agriculture in the tropics is associated with extensive deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

In response to these challenges, governments, NGOs, communities and companies are experimenting with a huge range of possible solutions. Many of these interventions are innovative and exciting, but there is little evidence of what works when, where and why.

For example, has Indonesia’s moratorium on new oil palm concessions slowed the rate of deforestation? Can the sustainability commitments of a leading palm oil company set an example for improved practices across the industry? In Brazil, will the new cattle certification program incentivize ranchers to stop clearing the Amazon forest? Do consumer-awareness campaigns by environmental NGOs alter the demand for commodities?

Read more of Pete’s blog here. 

Read “Interventions for achieving sustainability in tropical forest and agricultural landscapes”

Read “Enhancing the sustainability of commodity supply chains in tropical and agricultural landscapes”