₦airaland Forum

PALM OIL
Unilever Takes A Step Toward Sustainable Palm Oil

By Mat McDermott


A palm oil plantation in Malaysia. Photo via Marufish/Flickr

It's a step forward in using sustainably-sourced palm oil, and reining in the massive rainforest destruction generally associated with palm oil production: Unilever has announced that all of its palm oil purchases will come from “known sources” by the end of 2014. The commitment is the Rotterdam-based food, home, and personal care giant’s second to last step on its journey to using only traceable and certified sustainable palm oil by 2020. 

Unilever purchases roughly 1.5 million tonnes of palm oil each year, amounting to about three percent of global demand. 

The Director of WWF’s Market Transformation Initiative, Richard Holland, praised the commitment, and called it “a very promising step on the continuing journey towards real market transformation to sustainable palm oil.” 

The timing of the announcement was no doubt planned to coincide with start of the COP19 UN climate talks, which just kicked off in Poland, as palm oil production often comes at a high climate cost.

The overwhelming majority of the world’s palm oil comes from plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia, which are often cleared of rainforest. This results in large increases in carbon emissions, first from emissions stored in the soil and forest biomass that are released due to land clearance, and secondly because palm oil plantations suck far less carbon emissions from the atmosphere than an actual forest. 

When the emissions from deforestation are included in national emission totals, something that is not always done, Indonesia rises quickly to be one of the leading emitters of greenhouse gases. 

A truck full of fruits that produce palm oil. Photo via Flickr/Rainforest Action Network

In addition to increasing climate change, deforestation for palm oil plantations has been linked with further endangering several important and iconic rainforests species, particularly in Borneo and Sumatra. Orangutans are often targeted by plantation workers, who sometimes mutilate their hands in retaliation for the great apes raiding the plantation. Biodiversity in these plantations is far lower than in natural forests, further stressing animal species. Plantations also threaten the ability of local people to continue traditional hunting and foraging practices, disrupting the lives of already often marginalized communities. 

Sustainable palm oil attempts to right these wrongs, as growing the palms that produce palm oil can be done without clearing new land or threatening wildlife. 

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was established in 2004, with both WWF and Unilever as backers. Uptake of sustainable palm oil by producers of food and personal care products is growing, though it's still a small part of the overall palm oil market. Business Green reports that in the UK the amount of certified sustainable palm oil has doubled since 2009, rising to somewhere between 52 and 60 percent of imports.

This follows a slow start to the uptake of sustainable palm oil, which has been countered by campaigning from environmental groups and some high-profile commitments.

In 2009, Vermont-based Seventh Generation committed to buying sustainable palm oil credits for all of its purchases. At the time it was the only North American company to make such a commitment. A year later, the Netherlands committed to using only sustainably-sourced palm oil by the end of 2015. The latter is particular important, as Dutch businesses are Europe’s largest importer and exporter of palm oil. 

But overall, of the roughly 48 million tons of palm oil produced annually around the world, less than 15 percent is certified as sustainable.

I ve about 2000 seedlings that am preparing to the farm by june next year wen the rain set in in this region. I ve had some challenges and still having challenges as I do things solely. I ve tried to see to it dat we ve a cooperative society with other palm growers in my region so as we can share ideas but it has not been easy so I resort to Nairaland and it has been great here, particularly Okine4real which has being of great assistance

Obummalachy: Hi people am malachy am into animal production, farm management and supply of farm inputs i have been following this forum for long now and you guys are really wonderful, i have some ideas to add in: what mangam said on the control of bush burning/wild fire outbreak is right clearing bush few metres say 2-3metres away for farmers in the northern region, 1-2metres for farmers in the east, west and southern region respectively, After that you lay pipes "like irrigation pipes" around your farm land use thesame distance used for bush clearing left and right. This really works. On the issue of starting a palm plantation its very important for you to include processing cause that is the only way you can make reasonable gain from the business by so doing you control/determine the market and price not depending on other processing firm or whole salers/retailers who wil kill the business for you. Also palm plantation is not a sole-proprietorship business is a co-oparative business cause its involves a lot of risk taking and you need people to share the risks with. Someone earlier suggested on forming a co-oparative that's a wonderful idea which wil even attract bigger funding.

Gallant babes

Indeed nothing is impossible but

Is best to clear the bushes round the farm land at least some metres fro d farm dat fire can't break thru

PapaBrowne: ^^^^
Any ideas how to go about that?

If they ar not a terrorist group what ar they? Tel us USA

Beautiful morning friends. The harmatans are here again let's safeguard our farms against bush fire

Beautiful sight

I got a wind of d last episode. Even fro d tittle "my eternal" der love is in d after life. Thomas shoot and kille Danielle at Katalina grave side

Winnie1950: omg how did you know?

A very tragic end Danielle and katalina died

Thomas is d guy for me

I think u need to change ur engine. Ur engine should be d problem. If d car smoke a lot den is d engine

All to save d neck of madam minister

Good for the Nigerians

U ar welcome. Pls when coming come wit a car, not jus any car but a car, if possible bring ur house unless u ar ready to pay 400-500k for a room or even more.

Changing base fro italo to xpaino

Hmmm

They made us all proud

Finally

Finally

Ok we don hear

U suck

we stand to gain more as a nation. A food for thought for us Nigerians

Now I know better, thanks @op

by PositiveMed
Visible and Hidden Signs of Breast Cancer

Today, breast cancer is one of the most feared and common type of cancer among women, statistically about 39,620 women will die from breast cancer.

It is important to know, learn and understand our body, especially our breast anatomy and how it functions so we can understand which changes are not normal. Breasts are made up of fat and breast tissue, along with nerves, veins, arteries and connective tissue that helps hold everything in place, with aging the look and function of the breasts change.

LUMPS

1- The first sign of breast cancer is a lump in their breast, although 90% of these lumps are benign and confused with Cysts, sacs of fluid in the breast tissue, which are quite common

2- Lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast or underarm area, it can be detected with a regular self examination for breast cancer .

3- A change in the size or shape of one or both breasts.

4- Pain in either of your breasts or armpits not related to your period



5- DISCHARGES

-Coming from either nipples, this discharge may be blood.

-Milky discharge, if it is present when a woman is not breastfeeding it is highly recommended to be checked by a doctor.

6- DIMPLING

-Dimpling or sunken skin on your breasts

7- RASHES AND REDNESS

-Rashes around your nipple

-Redness or an enlarged underarm lymph node

sources
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-symptoms-and-signs

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cancer-of-the-breast-female/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

http://www.breastcancer.org/questions/bc_signs

Fulani, when will all dis end?

Give way

danielarem: BREAKING NEWS..

APC has alleged that the Eaglets did not win the football match, and that Mexico was rigged out of the match. APC
heads to tribunal
tomorrow on behalf of
mexico. 35 SAN's will be
filling for APC

Just kidding I knw it won't kill [quote author=Mynd_44]And what makes you think it is venomous?[/quote]

by PositiveMed
5 Natural Treatments for Intestinal Worms

Have you heard about this? Infestation of worms in the digestive system is common throughout the world, particularly in young children. Worms can sometimes be seen around the anus or in the feces, and they inflame the area of the bowel or rectum where they attach themselves. The most common worms in humans in the United States are pinworms. Other type of worms occurs, too, such as hookworms in tropical countries.



Intestinal worms present many symptoms such as diarrhea, bad breath, dark circles under the eyes, restlessness at night, anemia, and itching around the anus.

There are many natural ways to treat this situation depending on the type of worm such as:

•Rescue Remedy is good for discomfort or distress. Rub into the pulse points, around the anus to relieve itching. Crab Apple is excellent if you feel unclean or polluted.
•Rub a drop each of eucalyptus, lavender, and tea tree oil into a bland ointment, such as petroleum jelly or chickweed. Rub around the anus to prevent itching and to prevent eggs from being laid. This is particularly helpful at night.
•A teaspoon each of cayenne pepper and senna can be combined in a cup of yogurt with live cultures and taken by teaspoon before meals. The former stuns the worms and the latter encourages their explosion.
•Wormwood tea will stun the worms, but should only be taken under the supervision of a registered herbalist.
•Garlic is toxic to worms. Crush and add it to a tablespoon of honey and take before meals, followed by a tincture of laxative herbs, such as licorice and dandelion root to aid expulsion.
Conventional treatment is always necessary for any tapeworm infestations. Call your doctor if treatment is not effective after two courses, or if you begin to lose weight.

Maybe dat snake go bite somebody close to u 2moro but wit me killing it I don save ur love ones and a life out der. So bros clap for me. D sight of it alone go put many nairalanders off [quote author=Mynd_44]You killed a snake minding it's own business jeje and you are here displaying it.

#NigeriaWeHailThee[/quote]