Cenipalma and IDH sign $5 billion co-financing agreement to help make Fedepalma's palm oil production more sustainable

Fedepalma and IDH – the Sustainable Trade Initiative signed on 25 August a co-financing agreement to confirm their commitment to strengthening the sustainable production of Colombian palm oil, in an online ceremony hosted from Bogota (Colombia), with Cenipalma as technical partner.

With an investment of around $5 billion, this represents the beginning of a plan with significant potential for the palm oil industry and for the country.

Jens Mesa Dishington, Executive President of Fedepalma, announced the official start of the project ‘Sustainable Palm Oil of Colombia’, in the departments of Cesar and Magdalena, and explained that this alliance aims to strengthen extension services in 11 Palm Oil hubs, including 1,642 producers (82% of them small producers); 11 extractors, specialists, suppliers and other stakeholders in the palm oil value chain.

He said: ”Today, the commitment and conviction of the palm growers and the guild to open up new opportunities for the sector has materialized, and this has been a longstanding objective. This path started in 2018 with a visit to the Netherlands where we began the relationship and the search for synergies between Fedepalma and IDH and for which we always have the support of the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture".

Through this initiative, Fedepalma, Cenipalma and IDH will drive change to contribute to agricultural sustainability.