Earthworm sustainability venture seeks key improvements for Solomon Islands' palm oil

Non-profit environmental organisation Earthworm, Swiss oils group Florin AG and supplier Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil, have undertaken a venture supporting over 230 smallholders in the Solomon Islands with key agricultural training, reports Neill Barston. As the collaboration notes, the island chain North West of Australia is a high-forest-cover region, where there has been extensive deforestation in recent years, supported by a 2018 report by Global Witness concluded that commercial logging was contributing to forest clearance at nearly 20 times the sustainable rate. The Earthworm initiative training to improve agricultural practices and resilience across 710 hectares of oil palm plantations – with many such operations serving the confectionery and snacks sectors, having worked with major confectionery groups including Ferrero on sourcing the key product ingredient. According to the organisation, the palm oil produced by these farmers in the Solomon Islands is refined, before ...