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Agrofuels and oil palm plantations

The promotion of agrofuels as a form of renewable energy is proving to be one of the European Union’s biggest policy mistakes.

EU agrofuels policies are aggravating climate change. They have become a key driver of forest and biodiversity loss, land-grabs and conflicts, and human rights abuses in producer countries such as Indonesia. Increasingly, agricultural land needed to produce food is being reallocated to grow crops for agrofuels to fuel cars rather than to feed hungry people. [more]

Women and oil palm in an investment region

DTE 99-100, October 2014

A view from Suskun Village, Papua.

By Yuliana Langowuyo, director of SKPKC Fransiskan Papua, who has been visiting the community in Susun Village at least once a month since 2011 to carry out research and provide assistance.

Gender justice on the plantations?

DTE 99-100, October 2014

An interview with Helena Trie, Communication Staff, Serikat Petani Kelapa Sawit (SPKS) the Oil Palm Smallholders Union.[1]

Peasants' long fight to roll back palm oil land grab in Indonesia

Guest article by GRAIN. This article was first published in January 2014 on GRAIN’s website, www.grain.org

DTE 98, March 2014

Sudarmin Paliba stands on a hillside, looking down through row upon row of oil palm trees. "This is where we had our fruit trees, and at the bottom we grew paddy rice," he says.

DTE Newsletter 96-97 full edition for download

DTE 96-97, December 2013

Download the complete pdf newsletter or click on separate articles...

Agrofuels: impacts in Indonesia, time for policy change in Europe, DTE Special Edition newsletter

CSOs tell EU to ‘stop grabbing Indonesia’s land for biofuels’

DTE 96-97, December 2013

A crucial vote on biofuels in the European Parliament on September 11th 2013 has failed to fix a flawed policy which is driving deforestation, landgrabbing and human rights abuse, while undermining communities' food sovereignty in producer countries like Indonesia.

Europe’s agrofuels imports: check the reality on the ground in Indonesia

DTE 96-97, December 2013

Bondan Andriyanu of Sawit Watch, visited Berlin, Brussels and Strasbourg in September 2013. The aim was to convey to Europe’s policymakers the urgent need to reform the EU’s policies on agrofuels due to their harmful impacts in Indonesia.

Prior to the trip to Europe, DTE interviewed Bondan about his organisation, and his intentions in Europe.

AMAN accuses oil palm and pulp companies of rampant deforestation

DTE 96-97, December2013

Despite progress in international policies and the regulatory frameworks, despite commitments from political financial and industry leaders, these businesses are responsible for rampant forest destruction for oil palm and timber plantations, stealing from indigenous peoples, encroaching on their lands and resources, and destroying their culture and identity.