ICOPE 2018: Increase CPO Production Continuously With Science and Technology

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - Demand for palm oil (CPO) as a raw material of various products we use everyday will continue to increase globally, let alone driven by the needs of large markets like India and China, and the demand for use as a biofuel.

The ever-changing regulations and health issues are part of the challenges of the future of the world's palm oil industry.

In addition, the demand for a sustainable palm oil industry is not always in line with the growth in global demand, making it a joint responsibility of industry players to promote sustainable palm oil production responsibly and make it an industry standard.

International Conference on Oil Palm and the Environment (ICOPE) aims to encourage discussion of solutions to improve sustainable palm oil production using science and technology, as well as setting benchmarks to improve overall industry standards.

ICOPE 2018 also provides participants with the opportunity to share knowledge and best practices, and facilitate discussion of important issues between the public and private sectors.

Chair of ICOPE 2018, Dr. J.P. Caliman said the sixth ICOPE Conference will address topics such as the contribution of agricultural technology with a high degree of accuracy in achieving sustainability practices that are aligned with production and conservation, new breakthroughs and improvements in carbon and water footprints, as well as discussions to find global consensus in the palm oil industry sustainability standards.

"ICOPE 2018 is organized by three organizations with different industry backgrounds, namely WWF Indonesia, CIRAD and Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food.After the success of the previous conference (2007-2016), this year's conference is expected to bring more international participants from the coconut industry such as farmers, producers and sellers, research organizations and universities, NGOs, industrial and government agencies," Chaliman said through an official statement received INDUSTRY.co.id, Monday (16/4/2018).

Director of Policy, Sustainability and Transformation, WWF Indonesia, Aditya Bayunanda, stated that the issue of oil palm is often controversial and its current development has cornered the sector as a contributor to carbon emissions, deforestation activities and land fires.

"WWF together with our partners is organizing ICOPE with the intention of providing a platform for scientific discussions to bring technological and policy innovations that can address the challenges of sustainability and accusations of deforestation," Aditya said.

ICOPE 2018 will present opportunities to network and collaborate with key stakeholders as a means of finding solutions for local production that will create a more robust and sustainable palm oil industry.

The conference is an opportunity to engage in deep dialogue on the necessary innovations and new scientific approaches to sustainable palm oil practices for planters, growers and palm oil producers.

Regional Director of CIRAD, Dr. Alain Rival stated that, over the last ten years there has been a significant effort made to transform the palm oil industry into a more sustainable sector. But there is still a gap of knowledge in certain areas. ICOPE offers scientific-based solutions to improve sustainability across the supply chain of commodities.

Speakers from this year's conference come from different parts of the world, such as the United States, Switzerland, Nigeria, Malaysia, France, Finland, Australia, England, Denmark, Colombia, Netherlands, Taiwan, and more.

The main speakers were Pascale Bonzom from UNDP Panama, Lenaic Pardon of France, Dato Makhdzir Mardan from CPOC Malaysia, James Fry from LMC International, Michael Bucki from EU Delegation to Indonesia, Andreas Feige from ISCC and Tiur Rumondang from RSPO Indonesia.

President Director, PT SMART Tbk. Daud Dharsono added that ICOPE is a gathering place for key decision makers from governments, corporations and key stakeholders such as NGOs and academics in a forum with the hope that we can learn, share, synergize and apply the information we gain to achieve our shared vision namely sustainable palm oil industry.

ICOPE 2018 is a bi-annual international conference dedicated as a scientific platform for sustainable palm oil development to meet environmental challenges. ICOPE is organized as collaboration between Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia, and CIRAD France. The upcoming ICOPE is scheduled to take place at The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua - Bali from 25-27 April 2018.