Eco-friendly palm oil in Colombia | Global Ideas

Palm oil is a valuable commodity. It's cheaper than other plant-based oils, and the palm fruit is both productive and versatile. Palm oil can be found almost anywhere, from vegetable produce to cosmetics and biodiesel. But the palm boom has a major disadvantage - entire rainforests are often razed and depleted in order to create palm tree plantations. And palm oil production is growing at a rapid rate, with estimates of 100 million tons a year by 2025. That trend is no different in Colombia, where the precious plant is booming. But there, farmers have found a sustainable method of production. A family business called Daabon Group cultivates palm plants on unused land, and they capture the methane generated during the production to be converted into energy. Many local farmers even ship their palm fruits to the Daabon business, providing a further source of income.