Mapping social impacts of agricultural commodity trade onto the sustainable development goals

Schaafsma, Marije; Dreoni, Ilda; Ayompe, Lacour; Egoh, Benis N.; Ekayana, Dewa Putu; Favareto, Arilson; Mumbunan, Sonny; Nakagawa, Louise; Ngouhouo-Poufoun, Jonas; Sassen, M. M. A.; Uehara, Thiago Hector Kanashiro; Matthews, Zoë

doi:10.1002/sd.2515

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…While international trade in agricultural commodities such as cocoa and wildlife can spur economic development especially where governance is strong, there are also unavoidable social and environmental impacts [ 46 , 47 ] and entails a higher risk of deforestation. The importance of sustainability in the agricultural system has never been more prominent than it is now [ 48 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cocoa, livelihoods, and deforestation within the Tridom landscape in the Congo Basin: A spatial analysis

Ngouhouo-Poufoun,

Chaupain-Guillot,

Ndiaye

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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In the context of emerging international trade regulations on deforestation-free commodities, the drivers of households’ deforestation in conservation landscapes are of interest. The role of households’ livelihood strategies including cocoa production, and the effects of human-elephant conflict are investigated. Using a unique dataset from a survey of 1035 households in the Tridom landscape in the Congo basin, the spatial autoregressive model shows that: (1) Households imitate the deforestation decisions of their neighbors; (2) A marginally higher income from cocoa production-based livelihood portfolios is associated with six to seven times higher deforestation compared to other livelihood strategies with a significant spillover effect on neighboring households’ deforestation. The increase in income, mainly from cocoa production-based livelihoods in open-access systems can have a negative effect on forests. Households with a higher share of auto-consumption are associated with lower deforestation. If economic development brings better market access and lower auto-consumption shares, this is likely to positively influence deforestation. Without proper land use planning/zoning associated with incentives, promoting sustainable agriculture, such as complex cocoa agroforestry systems, may lead to forest degradation and deforestation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cocoa, livelihoods, and deforestation within the Tridom landscape in the Congo Basin: A spatial analysis

Ngouhouo-Poufoun,

Chaupain-Guillot,

Ndiaye

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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“…While trade in palm oil can spur economic development especially where governance is strong, there are concerns about the local impacts of palm oil production and distribution on the environment and on people (Schaafsma et al, 2023a). The need for sustainable production of such an economically important commodity cannot be overstated especially in sub‐Saharan Africa, where about 5% of global palm oil is produced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complexities of sustainable palm oil production by smallholders in sub‐Saharan Africa

Ayompe,

Nkongho,

Wandum

et al. 2023

Sustainable Development

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Sub‐Saharan Africa is increasingly viewed as an important area for oil palm cultivation and expansion. Palm oil is a commodity that can help developing countries like Cameroon attain their sustainable development goals (SDGs) targets through poverty alleviation (SDG 1) and by providing revenue to smallholder farmers to buy a variety of food thereby reducing hunger. However, due to the many negative environmental and social consequences, the sector needs to be made more sustainable. In this study, we set out to unpack the complexities including costs and benefits for smallholder farmers to practice sustainable palm oil production. We use both gray and peer‐reviewed literature, conversational interviews with smallholder farmers and managers of certified palm oil mills, and a workshop with smallholders in Cameroon. We found that smallholders face several challenges including weak land tenure rights, the use of poor‐quality seeds and low‐yielding oil palms, and a lack of skills, expertise, and access to financing. Certification could help alleviate some of the challenges by providing access to financing, training to improve yields, access to better seedlings, and increased access to higher value markets. However, the certification cost is very high compared to the income from oil palm cultivation for most farmers. Farmers will therefore need considerable assistance from organizations and brokers to remain financially viable. Our study provides important insights to countries such as the EU, United Kingdom, and United States that are in the process of adopting legislation to regulate deforestation associated with imports of key commodities such as palm oil.

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“…While trade can bolster economic growth, facilitate access to goods and services, create jobs, and reduce poverty (Bhagwati 2004;Gnangnon 2017;WTO and World Bank Group 2018), it can simultaneously lead to adverse outcomes. These implications include worsening the climate crisis, facilitating biodiversity and habitat loss, leading to a loss of ecosystem services, intensifying water pollution, and exacerbating social inequalities (Rees 2006;Holt 2012;Abman and Lundberg 2020;World Bank 2020;Schaafsma et al 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Planetary Welcare principles for just and sustainable futures: a compass for system change, trade reforms, and transformations

Uehara¹

2023

Preprint

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Attempts to reform trade to meet ecological, cultural and social goals alongside economic imperatives have not caught up with the expansion of trade. This paper proposes ways to meet this challenge and designs an original framework – the Planetary Welcare framework – for the analyses of production and consumption systems. The framework, which adopts an interdisciplinary approach to development, equity, sustainability and planetary health, brings together five interlinked principles on well-being, consumption, accountability beyond borders, reconciliation between international and place-based policymaking, and the environment. The paper first develops the framework and then applies it to the high-level strategies of the World Trade Organization and the International Fair Trade Charter, highlighting their differences and challenges. The paper demonstrates how the Planetary Welcare framework provides a relatively simple yet comprehensive set of principles to explore how production and consumption systems, including trade agreements, could contribute to achieving the highest attainable standard of health, well-being, and equity worldwide.

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Mapping social impacts of agricultural commodity trade onto the sustainable development goals

Cited by 7 publications

References 250 publications

Cocoa, livelihoods, and deforestation within the Tridom landscape in the Congo Basin: A spatial analysis

Cocoa, livelihoods, and deforestation within the Tridom landscape in the Congo Basin: A spatial analysis

Complexities of sustainable palm oil production by smallholders in sub‐Saharan Africa

Planetary Welcare principles for just and sustainable futures: a compass for system change, trade reforms, and transformations

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