Product
CMF Product Statement
CMF major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials. Food includes maize / corn, grains, soybeans, vegetables, fruits, and plant oils.
We believe that our primary responsibility is to produce healthy, life-giving agricultural products. CMF is committed to making a strong contribution to an improved environment, supporting ecologically balanced farming communities and giving back to our planet and people.
CMF Food – Agro products encompass all food items that are made for human and animal consumption. For example, edible foods like farmed maize, legumes, agricultural human edible commodities like cassava, plantains, yams, root vegetables, and naturally produced raw honey are food made from agricultural products to name a few.
CMF Fuel – Fuel is a substance that can release energy to produce heat or power. Agro products, such as corn, soybean, industrial hemp, post-harvest waste, plant biomass, and sugarcane, can create energy, biochar charcoal brickettes, or biocrude plant oil for example. Companies can then use these as an additive for energy creation or production. This form of energy is regenerative in process and good for the environment.
CMF Fiber – Agricultural crops, such as cotton, wool, Equatorial Guinea Kenaf hemp, industrial hemp, jute, and silk are often used by textile companies to create linen pieces. These fibers can also produce various types of rope, composite fiber boards, and clothing. While directly contributing to carbon sequestration in our environment.
CMF Raw Materials – Raw materials refer to goods that do not get processed or refined like human foods. They can be used to feed livestock, poultry, and animals, which is another form of agriculture.
This also means there are diverse types of businesses associated with agricultural production. For example, human foods, livestock breeding, crop harvesting, and greenhouses that grow products for retail are agro producers. Ranches, aquatic farms, and tree farms are also considered to be agricultural product businesses.
supply chain / wholesale / bulk contracted plants & crops
Cereals
These are popular grain products that are known for being the foundation of many people’s diets. Generally, cereal goods contain higher amounts of carbohydrates than proteins and fats. Some common types of cereals include rice, Maize / corn, wheat, barley, rye, and oats.
Pulses
Pulses are another type of grain, however, they contain a higher percentage of proteins than carbohydrates. Also known as legumes, pulses are commonly in the form of beans, peas, peanuts, and lentils.
Seeds
Seeds are scientifically known as a type of plant that is covered in a protective outer coating. The most common seeds that people use for cooking and production include cottonseeds, mustard seeds, basil seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and castor seeds.
Spices
Foodservice businesses and general individuals use spices to enhance the taste and flavor of foods or for wellness benefits. These products include pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic, and onion to name a few.
Fruits
Fruits, such as guava, pineapples, and papayas, sour saps, and mangos, are known for their source of water, vitamins, minerals, and fibers.
Vegetables
Vegetables, such as mushrooms, cucumber, edible vegetable leaves like salads, spinach, and carrots, are also notable for their nutrients and vitamins.
Dry Fruits & Nuts
This includes dates, walnuts, chestnuts, and cashews.
Edible Oils
Restaurants and individuals use oils, like coconut oil, olive oil, RSPO palm oil and vegetable oil, to cook and prepare food. It can also be utilized for personal use and more.
Coffee & Cocoa
These are drinkable products that are extracted from agricultural goods. For example, humans will often consume coffee from coffee beans, cocoa from cocoa beans
Fodder
Fodder is an ingredient that producers and farmers often use to supplement feed for animals and livestock. These products include hay, straw, barley, and legumes such as soybeans.
Why Sustainable Palm Oil is Better
When grown sustainably, palm oil is a force for good. It helps protect the environment, communities, employees, and wildlife. But when it’s grown unsustainably, palm oil production can be destructive and damaging.
Palm oil is the world’s most versatile vegetable oil. As well as a widely used cooking oil, it’s found in countless supermarket products, from soap and toothpaste to chocolate and pot noodles.
Palm oil is extracted from the flesh and the kernel of the oil palm fruit. Its popularity for cooking and as a combining ingredient spring from its diverse range of nutritious properties.
- Hold its color well
- Stay solid at room temperature to help baked goods last longer and are widely used in the baking industry
- Moisturize hair, skin and is used in cosmetics
- Make soaps and detergents bubbly
- Palm oil is in half of all supermarket products globally
Perhaps the crop’s standout quality is its productivity. Oil palms have much higher yields than any other vegetable oil plants. They require four to ten times less land than other vegetable oil crops to get the same amount of oil. And that efficient use of land makes palm oil attractive to producers and purchasers around the world.
How are we enabling the positive impact of sustainable palm oil.
The RSPO Impact continues sustainability efforts by the palm oil industry towards mitigating climate change, improving smallholder livelihoods and ending exploitation of workers, among other important themes on positive impacts.
Sustainable palm oil is good for the planet, for people and for protected species. But the reverse is also true.
When grown unsustainably, palm oil can damage forests and endanger communities and wildlife. So why are there two sides to palm oil? And how can we make sure it only ever has a positive impact. RSPO is a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable.
To do this, we must be able to demonstrate in Africa and Globally, that sustainable palm oil creates a tangible impact for People, Prosperity and Planet – improving the quality of life of oil palm farmers and their communities, creating a more inclusive and prosperous palm oil industry that embraces sustainability, and enabling us all to better conserve, protect and enhance our natural ecosystems and resources.
Since RSPO’s formation, the impact has been significant. From seed to shelf, RSPO certified practices span the entire palm oil value chain. With a growing global presence and strong support from members, RSPO continues to grow, expanding a global reach and ability to drive positive impacts.
CMF implements RSPO compliance and practices when working with smallholder farmers in Liberia and West Africa. This transformative journey towards a more sustainable future for palm oil and beyond is key to the livelihood of stakeholders in rural Africa.
RSPO outcomes are observable changes that are a direct result of RSPO Certification Systems and members’ actions. Impact data puts these outcomes in the context of a wider national, regional, global, or sectoral level, showing trends in long-term effects for People, Planet and Prosperity. Resulting from strategies and interventions derived from the RSPO Theory of Change (ToC). These effects may be direct or indirect, and intended or unintended.
These desired impacts are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to ensure relevancies for all actors in the palm oil supply chain. RSPO is in the process of redefining the framework for demonstrating and narrating the impact they make with a new Impact Indicator framework.
Ghana RSPO
A group of Ghanaian farmers have become the very first Independent Smallholder Group to achieve RSPO certification in Ghana, and the second one in the Africa region.
This milestone was achieved by the Golden Star Oil Palm Farmers Association (GSOPFA), under the management of Golden Star Oil Palm Plantations Ltd. (GSOPP). Since employing sustainable agriculture practices that ultimately led to RSPO certification, the group has enjoyed increased yields of over 18 tons per hectare, or three times above the national average yield for smallholders. The higher yields have translated into increased incomes and improved livelihoods for the smallholders and their dependents, while also helping them protect their natural environment.
Liberia RSPO
The Liberia National Interpretation (Liberia NI) of the RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C) 2018 was endorsed by the Board of Governors (BoG) on 10 June 2021. The Liberia NI 2021 supersedes the previous document, which was used for certification of plantations and mills in Liberia.
The NI’s for Liberia has been developed by the Liberia NI Working Group, with balanced representation from all stakeholder groups. Numerous physical meetings were held prior to finalizing the document and in compliance with international best practices, public consultations have also been held to create awareness and gather feedback and comments on this NI documents.
Prior to endorsement by the BoG, the document was reviewed by the RSPO Secretariat and submitted to the RSPO Standards Standing Committee (SSC) for approval. The Liberia NI document is effective immediately and is available for download here. All Certification Bodies and members are required to use the document for all audits conducted after the release of this announcement.
Why is farming important in West Africa?
Agriculture remains a centrally important part of the West African economy, providing 30–50% of GDP in most countries, the major source of income and livelihoods for 70–80% of the population. Revenue is derived from food supplies, export of cash crops, and agricultural commodities products.