Palm Oil: Industrial Destruction, Regenerative Promise

Palm oil is everywhere—it’s in chocolate bars, packaged foods, even beauty care products and biofuels. But its ubiquity has come at the expense of forest communities whose lands have been stolen and subsequently destroyed, fueling human rights abuses and the climate crisis. This is episode 3 of Nestle’s KitKat Unwrapped, and in it we’re exploring the slippery business of palm oil.In this episode, we speak with Robin Averbeck, Forest Program Director at Rainforest Action Network (RAN), as they describe how Nestle and other Big Food companies have turned palm oil into one of the leading global drivers of deforestation. Then, we speak with Safianu Moro, Managing Director of Serendipalm Company Limited in Ghana. Here, small-scale farmers are growing palm oil regeneratively, on small plots of land that are rich in biodiversity. Taken together, their stories provide a striking contrast and a strong reminder: like most crops, palm oil is not inherently destructive or exploitative—the industrialized food system is.For a Better World is a show by Fair World Project. Learn more about the show at FairWorldProject.org. If you like what you hear, support our work on Patreon: patreon.com/ForABetterWorldPodcast. Enjoyed the show? Rate, review, and subscribe! Stay in touch with us between episodes by following us on Twitter and Instagram: @fairworldprj and on Facebook: @fairworldproject, or sign-up for our newsletter: https://fairworldproject.salsalabs.org/subscribe/index.html

Om Podcasten

Behind every single thing you wear, eat, and use, there are countless untold stories. For a Better World is a show about fair trade and the farmer and worker-led movements that are fighting for fair food and farming systems. Each season, we dive into the hidden environmental and social costs behind an everyday item—from chocolate bars to t-shirts. In each episode, we’ll take you around the world to break down the main ingredients and meet some of the farmers, workers, and activists involved along the supply chain. And you’ll hear from people who are building alternative models that are rooted in justice and can heal the earth—building a better world for everyone. Join host Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project on the new podcast, For a Better World. New episodes released every other Tuesday. If you like what you hear, support our work on Patreon at patreon.com/ForABetterWorldPodcast. Learn more at FairWorldProject.org